Carbohydrate-based functional ingredients derived from starch: Current status and future prospects

With the incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes increasing worldwide, an increasing appreciation of the link between food and health has led many consumers to seek out functional foods, which are specifically designed to reduce the incidences of chronic diseases. The production of healthy foods has become a major focus of food scientists. Starches are one of the most widely consumed ingredients in foods, being a major source of calories in the human diet, as well as providing valuable functional attributes such as thickening, gelling, and water holding. Starch can also be used to prepare a variety of other functional ingredients, such as maltodextrins, cyclodextrins, resistant starch, and spring dextrins. In this review, the molecular structure, physicochemical properties, and physiological functions of starch-derived functional ingredients are presented. The current status and potential future applications of these ingredients to create healthier foods are also reviewed. • Starch can be used as a source of functional ingredients that can be used to create this new generation of healthy foods. • The molecular structure, physicochemical properties, and physiological functions of starch-derived functional ingredients are presented. • The current status and potential future applications of these ingredients to create healthier foods are reviewed.