A growing awareness of the relationship between diet and health  has led to an increasing demand for food products that support health beyond simply providing basic nutrition. Digestive health is the largest segment of the burgeoning functional food market worldwide. Incorporation of bioactive oligosaccharides into foods can yield health benefits in the gastrointestinal tract and other parts of the body that are linked via the immune system. Because oligosaccharides can be added to a wide variety of foodstuffs, there is much interest within the food industry in incorporating these functional ingredients into healthy food products. Moreover, other areas such as pharmaceuticals, bioenergy and environmental science can exploit the physicochemical and physiological properties of bioactive oligosaccharides too. There is therefore a considerable demand for a concentrated source of information on the development and characterization of new oligosaccharides with novel and/or improved bioactivities.
Food Oligosaccharides: Production, Analysis and Bioactivity
is a comprehensive reference on the naturally occurring and synthesised oligosaccharides, which will enable food professionals to select and use these components in their products. It is divided into three sections: (i) Production and bioactivity of oligosaccharides, (ii) Analysis and (iii) Prebiotics in Food Formulation. The book addresses classical and advanced techniques to structurally characterize and quantitatively analyse food bioactive oligosaccharides. It also looks at practical issues faced by food industry professionals seeking to incorporate prebiotic oligosaccharides into food products, including the effects of processing on prebiotic bioavailability. This book is essential reading for food researchers and professionals, nutritionists and product developers working in the food industry, and students of Food Science with an interest in functional foods.