From a single glucose to the texture of bread
The answer lies in starch retrogradation — a physical re-arrangement of carbohydrate molecules.
To understand this, we must master sugar structure, reactions, and physical properties.
Stereochemistry, ring forms, anomers, mutarotation, reactions
⏱ ~60 min
Maillard · Caramel · Acrylamide
⏱ ~45 min
Maltose, lactose, sucrose, trehalose, cyclodextrins
⏱ ~40 min
DP, crystallinity, rheology, random coils
⏱ ~40 min
Amylose/amylopectin, gelatinization, retrogradation, modification
⏱ ~70 min
CMC, MC/HPMC, xanthan, guar, carrageenan, pectin
⏱ ~70 min
| C count | Aldose | Ketose |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Triose (glyceraldehyde) | Triulose |
| 4 | Tetrose (erythrose) | Tetrulose |
| 5 | Pentose (ribose, xylose) | Pentulose |
| 6 | Hexose (Glc, Gal, Man) | Hexulose (fructose) |
| 7 | Heptose | Heptulose |
| Sugar | Form | Source |
|---|---|---|
| D-Glucose | Most abundant free | Honey, grapes |
| D-Fructose | Only commercial ketose | Fruits, HFCS 55% |
| D-Galactose | Rarely free | Lactose, pectin |
| D-Mannose | In polysaccharides | Galactomannans |
| D-Xylose | For xylitol | Birch wood |
| Sugar | α-pyr | β-pyr | α-fur | β-fur |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glucose | 36.2 | 63.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Galactose | 29 | 64 | 3 | 4 |
| Mannose | 68.8 | 31.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Arabinose | 60 | 35.5 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| Ribose | 21.5 | 58.5 | 6.5 | 13.5 |
| Xylose | 36.5 | 63 | <1 | <1 |
| Fructose | 4 | 75 | 0 | 21 |
Fructose: β-pyr 75% dominant, 21% β-fur — fructose in sucrose is in β-fur form!
| Alditol | Sweetness (sucrose=100) | kcal/g |
|---|---|---|
| Xylitol | 100 | 2.4 ★ non-cariogenic |
| Sorbitol | 60 | 2.6 |
| Mannitol | 50 | 1.6 non-hygroscopic |
| Erythritol | 70 | 0.2 GI=0 |
★ Xylitol isn't metabolized by oral bacteria — FDA-recognized non-cariogenic.
★ Large doses → diarrhea (osmotic + colonic fermentation).
★ Sorbitol/mannitol industrially from hydrogenated fructose half of sucrose.
| Sweetener | Sweetness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sucrose | 100 | Standard |
| Fructose | 140-170 | Sweeter cold |
| Glucose | 70-80 | Low |
| Maltose | 30-40 | Low |
| Lactose | 15-20 | Low |
| Honey | 100 | ≈ sucrose |
| HFCS 55 | ~100 | Sucrose replacer |
| Sucralose | 60,000 | High-intensity |
| Saccharin | 30,000 | High-intensity |
Fructose tastes sweeter in cold drinks (β-pyr fraction rises at low T → β-pyr is sweeter).
| Variable | Effect |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Higher = faster (high Ea) |
| pH | Alkaline > acidic; max pH 6-8 |
| Water activity | Max a_w 0.6-0.7 (30% MC) |
| Sugar type | Triose > pentose > hexose > disaccharide |
| Amino acid | Lysine (ε-NH₂) most reactive |
| Inhibitor | SO₂, sulfites bind carbonyl |
| Class | Catalyst | Use |
|---|---|---|
| I Plain | None | Candy, liquor |
| II Caustic sulfite | SO₂ | Beer |
| III Ammonia | NH₃ | Bakery, syrups, pudding |
| IV Sulfite-ammonia | NH₃+SO₂ | Cola, sauces |
Classes III, IV contain pyrazine/imidazole derivatives — distinct flavors.
| Food | Acrylamide (ppb) |
|---|---|
| Potato chips | 117–2762 |
| French fries | 109–1325 |
| Crackers | 26–1540 |
| Bread crust | 24–130 |
| Cereal RTE | 11–1057 |
| Chocolate | 0–74 |
| Coffee (ground) | 64–319 |
| Decaf coffee | 27–351 |
| Veggie/sweet chips | ~1970 |
High-T deep-fried tubers are riskiest. EFSA: BMDL₁₀ = 0.17 mg/kg/day.
| Disaccharide | Composition | Linkage | Reducing? | Source | Food function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maltose | Glc + Glc | α-1,4 | Yes | Malted barley (starch hydrolysis) | Mild sweet, malt flavor |
| Lactose | Gal + Glc | β-1,4 | Yes | Cow milk 4.5-4.8%, breast 7% | Infant energy, lactose intolerance |
| Sucrose | Glc + Fru | α-1,β-2 (head-to-head) | No | Cane, sugar beet | Standard sweet, preservative, humectant |
| Trehalose | Glc + Glc | α-1,α-1 | No | Fungi, yeast | Cryoprotectant, retro-inhibitor |
| Cellobiose | Glc + Glc | β-1,4 | Yes | Cellulose hydrolysis | Indigestible to humans |
Maltose head-to-tail (one end still hemiacetal) → reducing
Sucrose head-to-head (both hemiacetals used) → non-reducing
No lactase → lactose to colon → lactic acid + gas → diarrhea, bloating. 70% of adult Asians.
Sucrose hydrolysis → equimolar Glc + Fru (fructose sweeter) → invert sugar is sweeter. Used in honey substitutes, candy (anti-graining).
Replace 3 OH with Cl → 600× sweetness, zero calorie, heat-stable.
| CD | Units | ∅ (Å) | Sol (g/100mL) | Food use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| α-CD | 6 | 4.7–5.3 | 14.5 | Few |
| β-CD | 7 | 6.0–6.5 | 1.9 ← lowest! | Main |
| γ-CD | 8 | 7.5–8.3 | 23.2 | Some |
β-CD's low solubility is from tight outer H-bonds — yet cheapest, dominant.
| Starch | Granule μm | % amy | T_gel °C | Paste clarity | Retro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common corn | 2–30 | 28 | 62–80 | Opaque | High |
| Waxy corn | 2–30 | <2 | 63–72 | Slight | Very low |
| High-amy corn | 2–24 | 50–75 | 66–170 | Opaque | Very high |
| Potato | 5–100 | 21 | 58–65 | Clear | Med |
| Tapioca | 4–35 | 17 | 52–65 | Clear | Med |
| Wheat | 2–55 | 28 | 52–85 | Opaque | High |
| Rice | 1–9 | 17–25 | 61–80 | Slight | Med |
Potato is special: phosphate esters (0.08%) carry negative charge → clear paste, high viscosity, slow retrogradation, Ca²⁺ bridging.
Gelatinization is a composite event of T_g (glass→rubber) + crystallite melting. Water plays plasticizer role.
| Derivative | Substituent | Property |
|---|---|---|
| CMC | -O-CH₂-COO⁻Na⁺ | Negative, high viscosity, stable |
| MCC | None | Crystalline particles, emulsifier, bulker |
| MC | -O-CH₃ | Thermogels (heat→gel, cool→liquid) |
| HPMC | -O-CH₃ + -O-CH₂-CHOH-CH₃ | Thermogel + surface-active |
| Gum | Source | Backbone | Key property | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xanthan | Microbial (X. campestris) | Cellulose + triose side | Excellent shear-thin; salt/acid stable | Salad dressing, GF baking |
| Guar gum | Guar seed | Galactomannan (Man:Gal=2:1) | Cold-water-soluble, high viscosity | Ice cream, baking |
| LBG (locust bean) | Carob seed | Galactomannan (Man:Gal=4:1) | Need heat to dissolve; synergy with xanthan/κ-carr | Ice cream, dairy |
| Gum arabic | Acacia exudate | Branched + polypeptide | Low viscosity, water-soluble, great emulsifier | Beverage flavor emulsion |
| Inulin | Chicory root | β-2,1 D-fructose | Prebiotic, low-calorie, fat replacer | Low-cal foods |
| Konjac glucomannan | Konjac tuber | β-1,4 Glc-Man | Massive water uptake (200×) | Low-cal noodles, jelly |
Xanthan + LBG form synergistic gel (neither alone).
LBG's "naked chain" inserts into xanthan double helix.
Viscosity nearly unchanged 0–100°C, no retrogradation, no crystallization. A rare single-do-it-all gum.
| Type | Examples | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Insoluble | Cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin | Bulks stool, accelerates transit |
| Soluble | β-glucan, pectin, guar, inulin | Lowers cholesterol & blood sugar |
• D/L, α/β, mutarotation
• Maillard 3 stages, 5 variables
• 4 caramel classes, acrylamide safety
• Sucrose invert, cyclodextrin encapsulation
• Amylose vs amylopectin
• Gelatinization → retrogradation
• Xanthan, pectin, carrageenan
• Baking: sugar, starch, modification, Maillard
• Beverages: thickening, emulsification, sweetness
• Dairy: carrageenan, LBG, xanthan
• Candy: crystallization control, invert sugar
• Low-cal: fiber, alditols, prebiotics
• Safety: acrylamide control
• Ch.2 Water & Ice (gelatinization plasticization)
• Ch.4 Lipids (amylose-lipid complex)
• Ch.5 Proteins (Maillard's Lys)
• Ch.7 Enzymes (amylase, lactase)
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