Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Saccharides

© 2004 by CRC Press LLC
branching points), cross-links, oxidation status, compatibility structures,
and packing density.
Dimension (md; Equation 22.1a): Molecular weight, degree of polymerization,
excluded volume, and transition states between geometric molecular
dimensions and lengths of coherent supermolecular structures.
Interactive properties (ip; Equation 22.1a): Water content, aggregation/association,
supermolecular dimensions (gel-formation), viscoelasticity,
and stress management:
V = ip ⋅ md
e
(22.1a)
where V e is the excluded volume, ip the interactive potential, md the molecular
dimension, and mc the molecular conformation.
Although variations of md, mc, and ip already provide countless structural
options, diversity is even more increased by distributions of these features. In particular,
starch glucans are a superimposed heterogeneous mix of regular and irregular
modules of:
highly symmetrical helices (multiple helices), primarily by lcb-glucans
irregular “fractal structures ,” primarily by scb-glucans
compact and internally H-bond stab ilized structures, dominantly by scbglucans
(crystallinity)
less compact “amorphous” domains with pronounced reorganization capability,
dominantly by lcb-glucans
which easily may be customized either with respect to mass (Equation 22.1b) or
molar (Equation 22.1c) fractions for the major native purpose of guaranteeing optimum
energy management:
(22.1b)
where m_V eD is mass fraction of excluded volumes distribution; ipD the distribution
of interactive potentials, m_mdD the mass fraction of molecular dimensions distribution,
and mcD the distribution of molecular conformation.
(22.1c)
where n_V eD is molar fraction of excluded volumes distribution, ipD the distribution
of interactive potentials, n_mdD the molar fraction of molecular dimensions distribution,
and mcD the distribution of molecular conformation.
mc
m_V D = ipD ⋅ m_mdD
e
n_V D = ipD ⋅ n_mdD
e
mcD
mcD