Summary

The International Symposium on Plant Polymeric Carbohydrates, which was held as a satellite symposium of the International Carbohydrate Meeting, has become a symposium in its own right, bringing together an number of experts to exchange knowledge. This has been achieved by placing the emphasis on specific aspects of carbohydrate research in the selection and organization of the items on the programme. The aim of the symposium was to present the latest research in sub-branches of the biosynthesis and structure of polymeric carbohydrates, their rheological properties, both as pure substances and in complex bonds with other natural materials, their nutritional importance with respect to their physicochemical and nutritive properties, and their industrial applications in food and non-food.