Editing Inulin (section)

== Chemical structure and properties ==
Inulin is a heterogeneous collection of [[fructose]] [[polymer]]s. It consists of chain-terminating [[glucosyl]] [[moiety (chemistry)|moieties]] and a repetitive [[fructosyl]] moiety,<ref>Barclay, Thomas, et al. Inulin – a versatile polysaccharide with multiple pharmaceutical and food chemical uses. Diss. International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council, 2010.</ref> which are linked by β(2,1) bonds. The degree of polymerization (DP) of standard inulin ranges from 2 to 60. After removing the fractions with DP lower than 10 during manufacturing process, the remaining product is high-performance inulin.<ref name=I1 /><ref name=I2 /> Some articles considered the fractions with DP lower than 10 as short-chained [[fructo-oligosaccharide]]s, and only called the longer-chained molecules inulin.<ref name=I3 />

Because of the β(2,1) linkages, inulin is not digested by enzymes in the [[Human digestive system|human alimentary system]], contributing to its functional properties: reduced calorie value, dietary fiber, and [[prebiotic (nutrition)|prebiotic]] effects.<ref>Cassella, Carla, ''[https://www.sciencealert.com/a-cheap-daily-supplement-seems-to-boost-brain-function-in-older-people A Cheap Daily Supplement Seems to Boost Brain Function in Older People]'', Science Alert, November 28, 2024 </ref> Without color and odor, it has little impact on sensory characteristics of food products. [[Oligofructose]] has 35% of the sweetness of [[sucrose]], and its sweetening profile is similar to sugar. Standard inulin is slightly sweet, while high-performance inulin is not. Its solubility is higher than the classical fibers. When thoroughly mixed with liquid, inulin forms a gel and a white creamy structure, which is similar to fat. Its three-dimensional gel network, consisting of insoluble submicron crystalline inulin particles, immobilizes a large amount of water, assuring its physical stability.<ref name=I4>{{cite journal |last=Franck |first=A. |title=Technological functionality of inulin and oligofructose |journal=British Journal of Nutrition |date=9 March 2007 |volume=87 |issue=S2 |pages=S287–S291 |doi=10.1079/BJN/2002550 |pmid=12088531 |doi-access=free}}</ref> It can also improve the stability of foams and emulsions.<ref name=I2 />