Role of polysaccharides in food, digestion, and health

WOS: 000387762600001PubMed ID: 25921546Polysaccharides derived from plant foods are major components of the human diet, with limited contributions of related components from fungal and algal sources. In particular, starch and other storage carbohydrates are the major sources of energy in all diets, while cell wall polysaccharides are the major components of dietary fiber. We review the role of these components in the human diet, including their structure and distribution, their modification during food processing and effects on functional properties, their behavior in the gastrointestinal tract, and their contribution to healthy diets.COST ActionEuropean Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) [FA1005]; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the United KingdomBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [BBS/E/C/00005206, BB/H004866/1]The authors acknowledge support of the COST Action FA1005. Rothamsted Research and King's College London are funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the United Kingdom