Carbohydrate foods with specific nutritional properties--a challenge to the food industry.

About 80% of the food consumed in the developed countries is processed by the food industry and 40% of this food is consumed outside the home. The food industry can therefore play a major role in helping the consumer to eat wisely by offering carbohydrate-rich foods, which can help reduce excess energy intake, improve diabetes control, and reduce dental caries. In many foods, fat has been reduced, dietary fiber increased, and sugar decreased; this has often been achieved by using carbohydrate ingredients and appropriate technology without decreasing the sensory quality of the foods.