EFFECTS OF SACCHARIDES ON STABILITIES OF RICE STARCH GELS .1. MONOSACCHARIDES AND DISACCHARIDES

Effects of monosaccharides (xylose, ribose, glucose, fructose and galactose) and disaccharides (sucrose and maltose) on the stability of rice starch gels were investigated using retrogradation kinetics. Among the monosaccharides, hexoses (with the exception of galactose) were more effective than pentoses in inhibiting the retrogradation of starch. Disaccharides were more effective than monosaccharides in stabilizing gel structures. The mean number of equatorial OH (e-OH) groups and the dynamic hydration number of the saccharide molecule played an important role in the stabilization of gel structures. The ability to stabilize gels increased with an increase in the mean number of e-OH groups and the dynamic hydration number of the saccharide molecules.