Intestinal degradation of dietary fibre in green beans--effects of microwave treatments.
Intestinal degradation of dietary fibre in blanched and microwaved green beans was studied by using a rat experimental model. Content and composition of dietary fibre as well as molecular weight distribution of water-soluble polysaccharides (WSP) were analysed. There was a solubilization and a shift towards lower Mw of mainly uronic acid-containing polysaccharides with repeated microwave treatment in the raw material. Thus, the apparent Mw of water-soluble polysaccharides decreased from approximately 1,550,000 to approximately 300,000. After the beans had been digested the Mw of the WSP was significantly reduced, to approximately 100,000, and the differences in Mw seen between various processed raw materials had been evened out. After fermentation the Mw of the WSP decreased further approximately 10 times. Fibre fermentability was high (approximately 90%) and similar for the various processed beans.
Svanberg
M
M
Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Lund Institute of Technology, Lund University, Sweden.
Suortti
T
T
Nyman
M
M
D000818:Animals; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000528:radiation effects; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008872:Microwaves; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012995:Solubility / Q000528:radiation effects; D014574:Uronic Acids / Q000528:radiation effects
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D014574:Uronic Acids