Dietary fibre in baby foods of major brands sold in Canada

Total dietary fibre (TDF) was measured using the rapid gravimetric method (AOAC 992.16) in 88 infant foods available in the Canadian marketplace. The sampling included 1–8 different lots (depending on availability) and indicated approximately equal TDF values in vegetable products (1.48±0.78 g/100 g, n = 13 ), fruit products (1.23±0.83 g/100 g, n = 26 ) and cereal products (0.78±0.35 g/100 g, n = 39 ) when compared on a “ready-to-eat” basis. Ready-to-eat dinners and meat products had significantly lower TDF content (0.41±0.17 g/100 g, n = 13 ). Individual TDF values ranged from 3 g/100 g “as is” (junior peas) and 2.9 g/100 g as is (toddler Bartlett pears) to 0.16 g/100 g as is (custard plain w/arrowroot, banana and butterscotch) and 0.15 g/100 g as is (toddler chicken with rice). In some cases, infant foods had higher soluble dietary fibre/insoluble dietary fibre ratios than the published values for similar adult foods suggesting that processing of infant foods has occurred. Calculations using the TDF content of these foods revealed that they may be adequate in preparing infants for dietary patterns that approach recent Institute of Medicine recommendations of 19 g/d for infants between 1 and 3 years of age.