title: Polysaccharide composition of raw and cooked chayote (Sechium edule Sw.) fruits and tuberous roots.
abstract: Chayote is a multipurpose table vegetable widely consumed in Latin America countries. Chayote fruits, leaves and tuberous roots contain complex carbohydrates as dietary fiber and starch, vitamins and minerals. The complex polysaccharides (cell walls and starch) were analyzed in the black and green varieties of chayote fruits as well as in green chayote tuberous root before and after a controlled cooking process to assess changes in their composition and structure. The monosaccharide composition and linkage analysis indicated pectins homogalacturonans and rhamnogalacturonan I backbones constitute about 15-20% of the wall mass, but are heavily substituted with, up to 60% neutral arabinans, galactans, arabinogalactans. The remainder is composed of xyloglucan, glucomannans and galactoglucomannans. Chayote cell-wall polysaccharides are highly stable under normal cooking conditions, as confirmed by the optical microscopy of wall structure. We found also that tuberous roots constitute a valuable additional source of quality starch and fiber.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Bloco 14, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil; University of São Paulo-NAPAN-Food and Nutrition Research Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: tatymish@usp.br.
authors.forename: Tânia M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Shiga
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Bloco 14, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: peroni@usp.br.
authors.forename: Fernanda Helena Gonçalves
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Peroni-Okita
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. Electronic address: carpita@purdue.edu.
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Carpita
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Bloco 14, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil; University of São Paulo-NAPAN-Food and Nutrition Research Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Franco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Lajolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Bloco 14, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil; University of São Paulo-NAPAN-Food and Nutrition Research Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: hojak@usp.br.
authors.forename: Beatriz Rosana
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Cordenunsi
mesh_terms: D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D003296:Cooking; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D009005:Monosaccharides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002482:Cellulose; D013213:Starch
keywords: Carbohydrate; Cell wall; Chayote fruits; Chayote roots; Linkage analysis; Sechium edule Sw.; Starch