Characterisation and yield of the arabinogalactan–protein mucilage of taro corms

The main component of the taro corm is starch but appreciable quantities of water‐soluble mucilage are also present. Taro mucilage was cold‐water extracted and purified by dispersion and hydrolysis of starch, removal of starch hydrolysate and unconjugated protein. Compositional analysis of purified cold‐water‐soluble taro mucilage (PCWX) showed that galactose and arabinose were the main monosaccharides in the hydrolysate of PCWX and that the main polymer present was an arabinogalactan–protein. The yield of mucilage from 12 taro varieties varied from 75.7 to 137.0 g kg⁻¹ (dry wt basis) amongst different varieties. The purity of the final mucilage arabinogalactan was confirmed by ion‐exchange chromatography and electrophoresis. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry