Understanding the structure-function relationship of arabinoxylan and dextrin with regard to beer mouthfeel quality

Plant-based dairy products, low-fat cooking cream or non-alcoholic beers are just a few examples of emerging food products that require an innovative design regarding their textural properties. One of the main aspects that is often lacking in these products is the sensation of 'fullness' or 'body'. Improvement of the viscosity of non-alcoholic beers to the level of their alcoholic variants by the brewing industry has, however, not resulted in satisfactory mouthfeel properties yet. This suggests that viscosity alone is not a good predictor for mouthfeel and that research in the field of the mouthfeel of beverages should focus on mouthfeel quality rather than only one aspect like viscosity. This project aims to gain insight into the structure-function relationship of cereal carbohydrates with regard to beer mouthfeel quality. A set of food-grade arabinoxylan and dextrin samples will be used to research the mechanisms by which carbohydrate nature, content and structure impact the fluid dynamics of beverages and their mouthfeel perception, taking the substantial role of saliva into account. These fundamental insights might lead to practical solutions to improve mouthfeel perception in non-alcoholic, low-alcohol and light beers and aid the development of other innovative beverages.