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In vivo studies demonstrating that only specific dietary‐fibers contribute to immunity are still inconclusive, as measuring immune effects in healthy humans remains difficult. We applied a relatively inefficacious vaccination‐challenge to study chain length‐dependent effects of inulin‐type fructan (ITF) dietary fibers on human immunity.

ITFs with two different ‘degree of polymerization‐’ (DP)‐profiles were tested in vitro for effects on PBMC‐cytokines and TLR2 activation. In a double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial, 40 healthy volunteers (18–29 years) were divided into three groups and supplemented from day 1 to day 14 with DP10‐60 ITF, DP2‐25 ITF (both n = 13), or fructose placebo (n = 14), 8 g/day. On day 7, all volunteers were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Anti‐HbsAg‐titer development and lymphocyte subsets were studied. In vitro, DP10‐60 ITFs stimulated a Th1‐like cytokine profile …