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Radix Codonopsis, derived from the roots of <i>Codonopsis pilosula</i> (Franch.) Nannf., <i>Codonopsis pilosula</i> (Franch.) Nannf. Var. <i>modesta</i> (Nannf.) L.T. Shen and <i>Codonopsis tangshen</i> Oliv., has been used as traditional Chinese medicine for improving poor gastrointestinal function, treating gastric ulcers and chronic gastritis in China. Inulin-type fructans are carbohydrates consisting mainly of β (2→1) fructosyl-fructose links in chemical structure and exhibit a range of properties such as prebiotic activity, fat substitutes in low-calorie foods and disease-modifying effects. The prebiotic effects of inulin-type fructans are hypothesized to improve gastrointestinal function through alterations to gut microbiota composition and metabolism. In the present study, three inulin-type fructans with high degree of polymerization (DP = 16, 22, and 31) were isolated from the roots of <i>Codonopsis pilosula</i> (Franch.) Nannf. and their structures were confirmed by MALDI-TOF-MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR. The prebiotic activity of these fructans was evaluated by detecting growth stimulation on <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i>. The results demonstrated that three fructans at a concentration of 2.0 g/L exhibited significant growth stimulation on <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> in a time-dependent manner (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). The data indicated that inulin-type fructans in Radix Codonopsis could be used as potential prebiotics.