[Use of the term "dietary fiber" and its classification]

Complexity of dietary fiber composition, differences of their chemical structure and ratio of components, dependence of composition and properties upon the methods of isolation resulted in different definitions of dietary fibers and misunderstanding of their nature and role in nutrition. Among different definition--dietary fibers, raw fibers, crude fibers, vegetable fibers--the most adequate the definition 'dietary fibers'. This definition indicates on fibrous nature of main components: celluloses, hemicelluloses, pectines and on their significance in nutrition. The term dietary fibers obtains recognition and supplements the other synonyms.