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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141344
Title: OLIGOSACCHARIDES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item Cote, Gregory

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Symposium Series
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2002
Publication Date: 8/1/2003
Citation: Eggleston, G., Cote, G.L. 2003. Oligosaccharides in food and agriculture. In: Eggleston, G., Cole, G. L., editors. Oligosaccharides in Food and Agriculture. ACS Symposium Series. Vol. 849. Washington, DC: ACS Publications. p. 1-14.

Interpretive Summary: An overview of oligosaccharides in food and agriculture is presented. Oligosaccharides are short-chain sugars generally consisting of two to ten building block small sugars. The wide occurrence and function of oligosaccharides in plants is reported. Up-to-date techniques for the separation and analysis of oligosaccharides are reviewed. Commercial applications in the fields of nutrition and food ingredients are discussed, with emphasis on those oligosaccharides currently used as nutritious food additives. Sources of oligosaccharides include those from insect or microbial action on plant material. Oligosaccharides as plant hormones are described. Finally, the future outlook for oligosaccharides in food and agricultural industries is discussed.

Technical Abstract: An overview of oligosaccharides in food and agriculture is presented. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates generally consisting of two to ten monomeric residues linked by O-glycosidic bonds. The wide occurrence and function of oligosaccharides in plants is reported. Up-to-date techniques for the separation and analysis of oligosaccharides are reviewed. Commercial applications in the fields of nutrition and food ingredients are discussed, with emphasis on prebiotic and cyclic oligosaccharides. Sources of oligosaccharides include those from insect or microbial action on plant material. Oligosaccharides as plant regulatory molecules are described. Finally, the future outlook for oligosaccharides in food and agriculture is discussed.