Belgian supplier of prebiotic ingredients Orafti Active Food Ingredients will hold its 4th research conference, 'Inulin and Oligofructose: FeelGood Factors for Health and Well-being', in Paris in February 2004.

Professor Emeritus Marcel Roberfroid, chairman of the Beneo Scientific Advisory Committee, will chair the event that aims to concentrate on three areas of the nutritional benefits of inulin and oligofructose: the way these ingredients can work as feelgood factors, their effect on gastrointestinal health and well-being, and the effect on health and well-being overall.

"The 4th ORAFTI research conference will again provide a unique forum to review the latest scientific data about the potential contribution of these functional food ingredients to improved well-being and health," commented Professor Roberfroid.

The rise in the popularity of the prebiotic ingredient in food products is far from slowing down with food manufacturers ever keen to absorb this ingredient into new product formulations.

The Orafti group, a subsidiary of the Belgian agro-food group Raffinerie Tirlemontoise/Tiense Suikerraffinaderij, part of the Südzucker group, produces Raftiline (inulin) and Raftilose (oligofructose), as well as Raftisweet (fructose syrups), from chicory roots.

Professor Roberfroid will be joined at the conference by Dr Christine Cherbut from INRA Nantes, Professor Glenn Gibson from Reading University, Dr Anne Franck from the Orafti Group, Professor Margareta Nyman at Lund university and Professor Beatrice Pool-Zobel at Friedrich Schiller university.