Dietary fiber in Dalmatian carob pod (Ceratonia siliqua L.)

Stablo rogača (Ceratonia siliqua, L.) još je od antičkih vremena uzgajano u većini mediteranskih zemalja s umjerenom i suhom klimom. Kroz stoljeća koja su uslijedila, prepoznat je značajan farmakološki i nutritivni potencijal ove zimzelene biljke koja se danas koristi diljem svijeta. Bogat ugljikohidratni, mineralni i aminokiselinski sastav, kao i sastav polifenolnih spojeva, razlog su njegovog pleiotropnog farmakološkog učinka, dokazanog mnogim znanstvenim studijama. Plod rogača vrlo je bogat prehrambenim vlaknima, koja imaju blagotvorne fiziološke učinke na mnoga patološka i patofiziološka stanja u ljudskom organizmu. S obzirom na nepostojanje podataka o udjelima prehrambenih vlakana u plodu dalmatinskog rogača, cilj ovog rada je bio odrediti udjele netopivih, topivih i ukupnih prehrambenih vlakana u uzorcima ploda rogača prikupljenima na 15 lokaliteta, koji obuhvaćaju otoke i priobalje srednje i južne Dalmacije. Određivanje prehrambenih vlakana provedeno je enzimsko-gravimetrijskom TDF 1.4 (AOAC 991.43) metodom, a rezultati su obrađeni prikladnim statističkim metodama. Rezultati analize su pokazali da ispitivana brašna ploda dalmatinskog rogača sadrže: 7.028-12.065 g vode, 24.955-28.622 g sirovih netopivih prehrambenih vlakana, 19.221-22.951 g čistih netopivih prehrambenih vlakana, 3.499-5.269 g sirovih topivih prehrambenih vlakana, 1.557-1.014 g čistih topivih prehrambenih vlakana, 30.100-32.522 g ukupnih sirovih prehrambenih vlakana i 24.168-20.388 g ukupnih čistih prehrambenih vlakana na 100 g originalnog uzorka. Svi ispitivani uzorci ploda rogača bogatiji su netopivim, nego topivim prehrambenim vlaknima. Također je utvrđeno da određeni uzorak ploda rogača ne mora istovremeno biti jednako bogat topivim i netopivim prehrambenim vlaknima te da uzorak koji je najbogatiji sirovim prehrambenim vlaknima može, ali i ne mora, istovremeno biti najbogatiji i čistim prehrambenim vlaknima. Analiza je pokazala da unos 100 g brašna dalmatinskog rogača zadovoljava preporučeni dnevni unos prehrambenih vlakana u gotovo svim dobnim skupinama, neovisno o spolu, kao i u specifičnim fiziološkim stanjima poput trudnoće i laktacije.Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua, L.) has been cultivated since ancient times in the majority of the Mediterranean countries with mild and temperate climate. Throughout the centuries, a significant pharmacological and nutritional potential of this evergreen plant has been recognized and it is being used today worldwide. Rich carbohydrate, mineral and amino acid composition, as well as polifenolic composition, is the cause of it's pleiotropic pharmacological effect, proven by many scientifical studies. Carob pod is highly rich in dietary fibers, which have beneficial physiological effects on many pathological and pathophysiological conditions in the human organism. Considering the lack of data on dietary fibers in Dalmatian carob pod, the aim of this study was to determin the insoluble, soluble and total dietry fibers in carob pod samples collected at 15 locations, which include islands and the coastal part of middle and south region of Dalmatia. Determination of dietary fibers has been made by the TDF 1.4 (AOAC 991.43) enzymatic-gravimetric method, and the results have been processed by suitable statistical methods. Results of the analysis have shown that Dalmatian carob pod flours contain: 7.028-12.065 g of water, 24.955-28.622 g of crude insoluble dietary fibers, 19.221-22.951 of pure insoluble dietary fibers, 3.499-5.269 g of crude soluble dietary fibers, 1.557-1.014 g of pure soluble dietary fibers, 30.100-32.522 g of crude total dietary fibers and 24.168-20.388 g of pure total dietary fibers in 100 g of the original sample. All carob pod samples had higher amounts of insoluble dietary fibers than soluble dietary fibers. It was also determined that a certain carob pod sample doesn't have to be equally rich in both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers and if a certain carob pod sample is highly rich in crude dietary fibers it can also be highly rich in pure dietary fibers, but not necessarily. The analysis has shown that the intake of 100 g of Dalmatian carob pod flour meets the recommended dietary allowances for dietary fibers in almost all age groups, regardless of gender, as well as in specific physiological conditions, such as pregnancy and lactation