One important property of the pentosans is their ability to increase the water-binding capacity of a flour and thus the baking absorption. The next table shows the effect of the addition of pentosans on the stating rate of bread at 20°C. Pentosans increased the overall time constant for the bread, that is, they decreased the rate constant or the rate of bread firming with the effect exerted by the water-insoluble pentosans being more pronounced than that of the water-soluble pentosans.