Chemical Methods for the Determination of Soluble and Insoluble Non-Starch Polysaccharides - Review

Polysaccharides are macromolecules of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds. Non-starch polysaccharides(NSP) are principally non-α-glucan polysaccharides of the plant cell wall. They are a heterogeneous group ofpolysaccharides with varying degrees of water solubility, size, and structure. The water insoluble fiber fractioninclude cellulose, galactomannans, xylans, xyloglucans, and lignin, while the water-soluble fibers are the pectins,arabinogalactans, arabinoxylans, and β-(1,3)(1,4)-D-glucans (β-glucans). Both the enzymatic-gravimetric andenzymatic-chemical methods used for the determination of soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides haveundergone a number of modifications and improvements, most occurring over the last 20 years