IN VITRO METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF GLYCEMIC INDEX OF FOOD PRODUCTS

Disclosed is an in vitro method for determining glycemic index for a test food product, said method comprising: (1) determining protein content and fat content of the test food product; (2) providing the test food product in an essentially homogeneous and finely divided state to provide a test food sample; (3) digesting an amount of the test food sample in the essentially homogeneous and finely divided state to provide a standardized amount of available carbohydrate with a mixture of digestive enzymes for a fixed period of time to provide a digested sample; (4) treating the digested sample in its entirety immediately upon the fixed period of time to stop enzymatic reactions; (5) determining amounts of glucose and at least two sugars or sugar alcohols selected from the group consisting of fructose, galactose, lactose, sucrose, and maltitol in the digestive sample from step (4); and (6) calculating the glycemic index of the test food product from data obtained in steps (1) and (5) for the test food product using a predictive equation or a predictive method derived from multivariate analysis of calibration data for calibration samples wherein the calibration data is of same type and obtained in same manner as the data for the test food product determined in steps (1) and (5) and wherein the calibration samples have known in vivo glycemic index values.