Binding of mineral elements by some dietary fibre components-in vitro (I)

The binding of copper, cadmium and zinc ions to some soluble and gelforming types of dietary fibre (guar gum, low and high methoxylated pectin and sterculia gum) has been investigated potentiometrically. Considerable binding was found to low methoxylated pectin, but the binding to sterculia gum and high methoxylated pectin was less pronounced. The binding to guar gum was negligible. Thus, the formation of complexes seemed to be due to the proportion of free carboxyl groups. The amount of added metal bound to sterculia gum was proportional to the fibre concentration, whereas the pectins showed increased binding at higher fibre concentrations. This was possibly due to intermolecular interactions between the polymers and metal ions. The order of complex formation ability to the fibres investigated was different for different metals. To low methoxylated pectin the order Cu>Zn ≫ Cd was observed