Studies on dietary fibre. A method for the analysis and chemical characterisation of total dietary fibre

A procedure for the analysis of total dietary fibre (including non-starchy polysaccharides and Klason lignin) is described. The method consists of extraction of homogenised and/or milled foodstuffs with 80% ethanol and chloroform, and analysis of acidic and neutral polysaccharide constituents, starch and Klason lignin in the residue. Uronic acid constituents were determined by a decarboxylation method, neutral sugar constituents as alditol acetates by a gas-liquid chromatographic method, starch by an enzymic method, and Klason lignin gravimetrically. The sum of anhydrosugars, anhydrouronic acids and Klason lignin from which the starch content is subtracted provides a measure of the total dietary fibre. The method described is reproducible, fairly rapid and gives informative quantitative characterisation of the fibre constituents.