Oligosaccharides in Food and Agriculture

Oligosaccharides in Food and Agriculture presents a combination of reviews and descriptions of current research relating to plant derived oligosaccharides that occur in food, agricultural products, and by-products. This book begins with two chapters describing state-of-the-art methods for the analysis of oligosaccharides. Several chapters are then devoted to the biosynthesis, structure, properties, and uses of oligosaccharides. Prebiotics, a rapidly expanding field that combines carbohydrate biochemistry, microbiology, and nutrition, is heavily emphasized. Two chapters on oligosaccharides derived from or related to starch follow this section. The book concludes with a pair of chapters that focus on oligosaccharides in sugarcane that can be used as markers for sugarcane deterioration and affect the processing of sugar.