Polydextrose

[1] It is a food ingredient classified as soluble fiber by the US FDA as well as Health Canada, as of April 2013[update].

[2] Commercial manufacture of edible polydextrose originated with a process developed by Hans H. Rennhard of Pfizer, Inc. Rennhard began investigating the potential of polysaccharides as low-calorie replacements for sugar, fat, flour, and starch.

In 1965, he created polydextrose, a polymer of dextrose, produced from the naturally occurring components: glucose, sorbitol, and citric acid.

Polydextrose is a form of soluble fiber and has shown healthful prebiotic benefits when tested in animals.

Doses as low as 10 g cause significantly more intestinal gas and flatulence than fermentation resistant psyllium.