It was found that chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides affect
redistribution and state of water in bread crust and crumb and as
a consequence affect the structure and properties of bread crust
and crumb. Chitosan facilitates dehydration of both starch and
gluten and facilitates moisture migration from crumb to crust.
Redistribution of water affects intensity of Maillard reactions in
bread crust and the rate of bread staling. Chitosan oligosaccharides
and low molecular weight chitosan increase bread crumb staling
rate to a much lesser extent than does middle molecular weight
chitosan. It is suggested that during bread staling, chitosan and
chitosan oligosaccharides can prevent amyloseelipid complexation
by adsorption of chitosan onto the starch surface.