Comprehensive in scope, "Food Polysaccharides and Their Applications, Second Edition" explains the production aspects and the chemical and physical properties of the main classes of polysaccharides consumed as food, highlighting their nutritional value and their technological characteristics. Chapters in this new edition detail the source, biosynthesis, molecular structures, and physical properties of polysaccharides. They also explore production and uses in food formulations; the effects of cooking and interactions with proteins, lipids, sugars, and metal ions; analytical methods, including identification and quantitative determination; and, nutritional and ecological considerations with emphasis on genetic engineering of food crops.The editors carefully balance coverage of fundamental aspects and practical implications for the food industry. What's new in this Second Edition: explains the preparation of new starch esters and improved techniques for the production of acid-converted and oxidized starches; details new information on the natural functions of cell wall polysaccharides of seeds in relation to their molecular structures, biosynthesis and enzymatic hydrolysis; and, presents additional references that include those relating to IR and NMR spectrometric methods of analysis.