OLIPOP

Here at OLIPOP, we talk about fiber pretty often. After all, we pack multiple sources of soluble, prebiotic dietary fiber in every single OLIPOP can. However, if you don’t know much about dietary fiber, it can feel like a complex topic to understand.  

This is likely because no two fibers are created equal. [1-3] Fibers have different chain lengths, and depending on the fiber type, they can have different physiological impacts on your health.[1-3] For example, certain types of fibers may serve as food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These particular fiber types are “prebiotics”. They support the good bacteria in your gut and help produce other health-promoting bacteria and metabolites. 

You can find naturally occurring fibers in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and seeds. You can also isolate or extract fiber from plants or seeds and use them in food and beverage manufacturing. Examples of some of these fiber types are the sources that you find in our OLIPOP 6g or 9g Fiber Lines, such as inulin from chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke, resistant dextrins from cassava root fiber, acacia fiber, and guar fiber. While you can’t visibly see the fiber in OLIPOP, rest assured there is a full 6 to 9g of prebiotic fiber from plant-based sources in every 12 fl oz can, backed by science and validated through testing. 

Plant to Can Processing: How OLIPOP Gets Fiber Into Soda 

But how exactly do we get all that fiber in our can of soda? To get our prebiotic fibers from the plants in the field to every can of OLIPOP takes a bit of modern-day magic. We’re meticulous in sourcing and ensuring that our OLISMART prebiotic fibers work well in our industry-leading functional soda.  

Our initial key criteria for selecting each OLISMART prebiotic fiber are: 

• Fully soluble in carbonated water, with no precipitation (you don’t want to have to shake a carbonated beverage before consuming) 
• Have very little inherent color 
• Be sweet, or at minimum neutral in taste 
• Be stable at the specified storage conditions 

All prebiotic fibers in OLISMART meet these criteria. We work with suppliers who purify the isolated fibers, dry them to remove any excess water, and we’re left with the soluble, prebiotic fiber your gut microbiome enjoys. 

Extensive Quality Control 

OLIPOP is committed to ensuring that the prebiotics we put into all our beverages are present and accounted for from bottling all the way to cracking open the can for your first sip. This starts with the prebiotics we choose. We select fibers that have known prebiotic effects and research to support digestive health. We ensure that every 12 fl oz can of OLIPOP provides an excellent source of prebiotic fibers. 

From there, we make sure that when we are putting OLIPOP together, none of that goodness gets lost. We do this by testing our products after they’re in the can to ensure the number of prebiotics featured on the label is the number of prebiotics in the can. In other words, we make sure that the blending process doesn’t change our prebiotic count. 

At OLIPOP, we also conduct tests to ensure that when stored correctly, our product maintains these levels of prebiotic fibers through the best-by date stamped on the bottom of your can. So, from start to finish, OLIPOP's Quality Team is making sure that OLIPOP tastes amazing and provides an excellent source of fiber*, no matter when you drink it. 

Scientifically Supported Prebiotic Fiber Formulation 

OLIPOP includes different prebiotic fiber types, such as inulin and resistant dextrins, from three different plant sources depending on whether you’re choosing our 6g or 9g Fiber Line. We chose to formulate our sodas with several prebiotic fiber types because it’s a metaphor for reminding consumers of the importance of nutritional diversity. Even in your soda! 

Also, as part of setting the standard in functional soda, we partnered with Dr. Stephen Lindemann at Purdue University to help us better understand the impact the prebiotic fibers found in OLIPOP can have on the gut microbiome. Using a multi-donor humanized stool in-vitro gut fermentation model, we observed many beneficial outcomes resulting from the presence of our prebiotic fibers. A few highlights from the in-vitro study include:  

• The prebiotic fibers led to an increase in healthy, good-for-you gut bacteria! 
• We also saw an increase in healthy metabolites (small molecules) called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These compounds help feed the intestinal barrier, supporting healthy gut tissue among many other health effects. 

To learn more, nerd out by reading our peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Food Bioactives.  

In addition to original scientific research, we’re humbled to have assembled a global team of leading human gut microbiome research pioneers. This group of key gut, microbiome, and prebiotic scientific experts brings their decades of expertise to help OLIPOP design advanced prebiotic fiber formulations. 

International Probiotics Association 

Our commitment to advancing digestive health science extends beyond our own research programs. OLIPOP is also a member of the International Probiotics Association (IPA), a global organization that brings together leading microbiome researchers, ingredient innovators, and consumer health brands to advance the understanding of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. 

In addition to our membership, several OLIPOP team members sit on scientific and regulatory committees for IPA, contributing to industry-wide conversations that help shape the future of biotics science and policy. Through our participation in organizations like the IPA, we stay connected to the latest scientific and regulatory developments and emerging research shaping the future of gut health. 

Our Promise to You 

There are many misconceptions about dietary fiber. So as a team, we thought it would be amazing to provide some solid education on the topic. Looking for more information on gut health and prebiotic fiber? Head to our blog for more fun, educational topics.  

We hope that you can enjoy a can (or more) of OLIPOP each day and feel good about enjoying a product that goes through extensive quality control with prebiotic verification. OLIPOP also contains research-backed ingredients that are supportive of digestive health.* We care about what our product contains and what it offers in comparison to other functional beverages on the market. Thank you for choosing OLIPOP! 

*OLIPOP 12 fl oz serving with 6 or 9g of dietary fiber. 

Sources 

1. Slavin, J. L. (2013). Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients, 5(4), 1417–1435. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5041417
2. Carlson, J., Erickson, J., Lloyd, B., & Slavin, J. L. (2018). Health effects and sources of prebiotic dietary fiber. Current Developments in Nutrition, 2(3), nzy005. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzy005
3. Guan, Z., Yu, E., & Feng, Q. (2021). Soluble dietary fiber, one of the most important nutrients for the gut microbiota. Molecules, 26(22), 6802. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26226802

Meet our Experts This article is reviewed by Courtney McCormick, MPH, RDN, LDN and Celeste Alexander, PhD who are paid members of the OLIPOP team.
Courtney is a registered dietitian nutritionist and public health professional with nearly two decades of experience supporting nutrition initiatives across a variety of settings, including schools, community, and the consumer goods industry. Courtney is passionate about turning evidence-based nutrition into practical, everyday solutions. Here at OLIPOP, Courtney is Manager of Clinical Research and Scientific Content, helping to lead our clinical research program as we continue our commitment to science.
Celeste is a nutrition scientist with expertise in dietary fiber, the gut microbiome, and digestive and metabolic health. Passionate about advancing nutrition and microbiome innovation, she is dedicated to translating emerging research into evidence-based consumer products. Prior to joining OLIPOP, she spent three years in the dietary supplement industry, supporting ingredient evaluation and science-based new product development. At OLIPOP, Celeste is Senior Manager of Scientific Innovation, helping lead pilot exploratory clinical research, identifying and evaluating functional ingredients, and developing new product concepts that support OLIPOP's commitment to improving health at scale.