Process for producing saccharide oligomers

A process for preparing saccharide oligomers, comprising:

• heating an aqueous feed composition that comprises at least one monosaccharide or linear saccharide oligomer, and that has a solids concentration of at least about 70% by weight, to a temperature of at least about 40° C.;
• and
• contacting the feed composition with at least one catalyst that accelerates the rate of cleavage or formation of glucosyl bonds for a time sufficient to cause formation of non-linear saccharide oligomers, wherein a product composition is produced that contains a higher concentration of non-linear saccharide oligomers than linear saccharide oligomers;
• wherein the product composition comprises non-linear saccharide oligomers having a degree of polymerization of at least three in a concentration of at least about 20% by weight on a dry solids basis.