The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides and chitosan on the rate
of staling and properties of bread crumb and crust. Rates of crumb firming varied with storage time. The
possible mechanisms including prevention of amyloseelipid complexation, acceleration of dehydration
from both starch and gluten, adsorption of chitosan onto the starch surface and increase of moisture
migration rate from crumb to crust are proposed and analysed. Chitosan oligosaccharides and low
molecular weight chitosan increase bread crumb staling rate to a much lesser extent than does middle
molecular weight chitosan.