| Abstract: | The enzymatic degradation of the alternative carbohydrate, Polydextrose® (PD) and of a high-molecular fraction of PD (PD-D) obtained by dialysis was studied. The reaction products were measured by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Taking into account the experimentally determined extraneous activity of enzymes, a digestibility of 22.5% was measured under in vitro conditions. This digestibility was brought about primarily by glucoamylase activity. The results also served to demonstrate contemporary concepts of the structure of PD which, instead of an arbitrary one, proposes a defined arrangement of α-glucosidic 1,4 and 1,6 bonds within structurally different segments of the PD molecule. It has been documented by in vivo studies that the digestibility of PD in the small intestine is obviously based on the interaction of a number of substrates and enzymes and can be influenced by the composition of the diet. |
