As a sweetening agent and gelatin substitute, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) from chicory root fibers are used. Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are a natural form of soluble carbohydrates found in many vegetables, such as artichokes and onions. When taken orally, they are only partially absorbed, as most of them serve as a nutrient substrate for the growth of the normal gut bacterial flora (mainly the genera Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus).