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The Fibre Factor: Challenges and opportunities in boosting fibre intake

Dietary fibres are essential but often overlooked. Despite their benefits, most people don’t consume enough. While WHO recommends at least 25g per day, actual intake remains below recommendations. Unlike sugar and starch, fibres pass through our digestive system largely intact – playing a crucial role in gut health, blood sugar regulation, and even cholesterol management.

Different fibres serve different functions: some support digestion and regularity, others nourish beneficial gut bacteria, and some help manage sugar and cholesterol absorption. By diversifying our fibre intake, we benefit from a range of health benefits.

With fibre playing an important factor in our ambition to make 50% of all available food healthier by 2030, we gathered experts from the food industry to discuss innovative ways to boost fibre intake through processed foods.

Fibre intake in the Netherlands

Data from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) highlights a significant gap between current fibre consumption and recommended daily intake levels. The main sources of fibre in the Dutch diet come from three primary categories: grain-based products such as bread, cereals, rice and pasta; fruits, nuts and olives; and vegetables. The intake of fibre (g/day) has only slightly increased compared to the 2012-2016 period and a large portion of the population still does not meet the recommended daily intake.

Large differences can be seen in the adherence to dietary guidelines for specific product groups: with only 10% to 50% of Dutch adults meeting a product groups’ recommendations. Wholegrain products and alcohol guidelines are the most followed, with approximately half of adults consuming at least 90 grams of wholegrain products daily or limiting alcohol intake to one glass per day. However, only about 30% of adults meet the guideline of consuming at least 200 grams of vegetables daily and eating fish once per week. The lowest adherence is seen in the consumption of unsalted nuts, fruit, and tea—only 10% of adults consume 15 grams of unsalted nuts and seeds per day, and around 20% meet the recommendations for tea (three cups per day) and fruit (200 grams daily).

These figures suggest two potential pathways to improve fibre intake: encouraging consumers to make better dietary choices and increasing the fibre content of commonly consumed processed products. This was a key focus of our community discussions, where industry experts explored practical solutions to making fibre-rich foods more accessible and appealing.

Exploring practical challenges and opportunities

Three Healthier Food Community partners: Nederlands Bakkerij Centrum, Herbafood and Luiten shared insights into the challenges and opportunities of increasing fibre consumption through their products and activities.

Wholegrain consumption & out-of-home demand

Nederlands Bakkerij Centrum emphasized the importance of increasing wholegrain consumption. A key barrier is the limited availability of wholegrain options in out-of-home settings. The brainstorm session led to two major recommendations:

  1. A stronger focus on consumer education to raise awareness of wholegrain benefits, helping consumers to make informed choices.
  2. Conducting further research into the barriers preventing higher adoption, followed by targeted try-outs to encourage out-of-home operators to expand their wholegrain offerings, starting with a focus on the health niche offerers.

Hybrid products: enhancing nutritional profile

Luiten explored ways to integrate more fibre in hybrid meat products, combining plant-based and animal proteins. While adding fibre could enhance the nutritional profile of products, regulatory hurdles present significant challenges. Key action points from the discussion included:

  1. Identifying naturally fibre-rich plant-based ingredients that can be integrated into processed meat without compromising taste or texture.
  2. Exploring the possibility of building a sector-wide case of the positive impact from health and sustainability perspective, when regulatory adjustments allow usages of fibre for its nutritional benefits.

Innovative fibre sources from side streams

Herbafood showcased its work on fibres derived from apple, lemon and lime side streams. While apple fibres offer valuable functional properties, their natural brownish colour poses a challenge as manufacturers are often reluctant to use ingredients that alter product appearance. Brainstorming led to the following insights:

  • Develop applications that show manufacturers the visible and function of the apple fibres in end products.
  • Develop success stories that highlight the added value of apple fibre in terms of sustainability and nutrition.

Looking forward: collaboration for impact

The meeting underlined the need for a collective approach improving fibre intake through processed foods, whether they are within or outside the Wheel of Five. Education, regulatory engagement, and targeted product innovation emerged as key levers for change. By leveraging existing expertise and driving new research, the food sector has a unique opportunity to reshape consumer habits and contribute to a healthier future.

As we move forward, continued collaboration and innovation will be essential in breaking down barriers and accelerating progress towards our shared 50:50 ambition. By making fibre-rich options more accessible and appealing, we can take meaningful steps towards our broader mission: ensuring that the healthy choice becomes the easy choice – now and in the future – ultimately supporting better health, well-being, and quality of life for all.