Characterization of Water‐Soluble Wheat Flour Pentosans

Abstract

SUMMARY The yield and protein contents of water‐soluble pentosan preparations ranged from 0.67 to 0.84% and 15.4 to 24.2%, respectively. After soluble‐starch was removed, total yield of water‐soluble gums was 0.38 to 0.58%, and their protein contents ranged from 16.9 to 22.6%. Pentosans were fractionated on diethyl aminoethyl cellulose columns. Based on carbohydrate contents, fraction II, eluted with 0.0025 M borate was the largest. Fraction I (eluted with water) was generally the smallest and contained no protein. Fraction III (eluted with 0.025 M borate) was the second smallest and was richest in protein. Effects of amylase, protease, and of pentosanases, and of column fractionation on composition of pentosans were followed by infrared spectroscopy.