| Popis: |
A simplified procedure for the determination of the non-starch polysaccharides in foods is described. Starch is removed by treatment with heat-stable α-amylase and resistant starch by treating with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and amyloglucosidase. Total neutral sugars and uronic acids are then measured colorimetrically in the acid hydrolysates of the starch-free material. The method is more rapid than the complex fractionation procedures (Southgate, 1969; Selvendran et al., 1979; Englyst, 1981) but does not provide a detailed composition. The time per sample compares favourably with the gravimetric assay of Asp et al. (1983) and a direct measure of the carbohydrate content of the dietary fibre fraction is obtained. The results compare favourably with those obtained by the complex method of Englyst et al. (1982). The method is applicable to a range of foods, both raw and cooked, and should have application in the routine analysis of dietary fibre since it is comparatively rapid and does not require complex or expensive equipment. |
