ABSTRACT

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Saccharides found in food play an essential role in determining the texture and structure of foodstuffs. Their function depends principally on their molecular weight.1 Low-molecular-weight saccharides, such as mono-and oligosaccharides, generally interact strongly with water and food components (e.g., polysaccharides and proteins), have excellent properties of moisture and flavor retention, and reduce extensive aggregation between biopolymers. In other words, they produce

plasticization, have antistaling effects, and protect food biopolymers. Polysaccharide gums provide a wide variety of functionality in foodstuffs, including gelling, thickening, suspending, adhering, binding, bulking, inhibiting crystallization, clarifying, flocculating, emulsifying, stabilizing, whipping, and coating.2-4 The particular functions of polysaccharide blends that are frequently used in real food systems are very attractive. They can be partially explained in terms of molecular interactions between polysaccharides.5 This chapter focuses on the key functions of saccharides and polysaccharide blends in controlling the texture of food systems.