| The purpose of this thesis is the production and application of a Jerusalem artichoke (JA) flour from JA tubers which are a natural source of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) known to provide health benefits in humans by stimulating 'beneficial' intestinal bacteria, such as bifidobacteria.;For potential human use, purified JA flour was produced by extraction of sliced JA tubers in a hot water mixture containing activated charcoal, followed by heating, filtration and lyophilization. The purified JA flour, rich in FOS supported good growth of bifidobacteria and therefore has commercial potential as a food ingredient to obtain bifidobacteria-related health benefits.;Crude JA flour was produced by maceration and spray-drying of JA tubers. The administration of the JA flour supplemented milk replacer to piglets (18-24 hours old) seemed to be as effective as immunoglobulins in reducing scouring. However, more feeding trials are necessary to establish this conclusively. The crude JA flour was also found to support growth of commercially important fungi. |
