In an effort to win funding from a panel of investors, two contestants on Channel Ten's program, Shark Tank, pitched their business idea for a "low FODMAP" food range. They said FODMAPs were a part of food that cause gut problems in 20 to 33 per cent of people. Entrepreneur Steve Baxter told them he didn't believe the gut problem caused by FODMAPs "exists as a category". So, are FODMAPs a type of food that causes digestive problems for up to one in three people? RMIT ABC Fact Check found Mr Baxter's cynicism hard to stomach. FODMAPs are a recently identified category of sugars found in many foods. They actually do exist. Experts say that the evidence on the existence and effects of FODMAPs is accepted internationally. According to research, FODMAPs can exacerbate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a medically recognised and painful condition. On the issue of how many Australians might be affected, Mr Baxter was right to trust his gut. The research team behind the low FODMAP diet say the number of people with irritable bowel syndrome is closer to 15 per cent of the population.
Verdict: Hard to stomach