Chapter 3 – Carbohydrates

Dietary carbohydrates constitute a group of chemically defined substances with a range of physical and physiological properties as well as health benefits. Their primary classification is based on chemistry, i.e., the character of individual monomers, degree of polymerization, and type of linkage (α or β). The effects of conventional and emerging technologies on carbohydrate properties as well as their induced modifications during processing, extraction, and preservation procedures are discussed, with special emphasis on carbohydrates with a carbon chain length up to nine carbon atoms and to inulin and starch.