Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation enables the characterization of molecular and supramolecular properties of cereal beta-glucan dispersions

Summary, in English

In this paper we study the properties of molecular and supra molecular species in cereal beta-glucan solutions/dispersions by the utilization of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation coupled to multi-angle light scattering and refractive index (AsFlFFF-MALS-RI) detectors. The samples were purified barley and oat beta-glucans which were dissolved in aqueous solution using either mild conditions or more harsh treatments with alkali. Dissolution in 0.5 M NaOH was not sufficient to eliminate aggregated structures in barley beta-glucan. The results in this paper show how distinction can possibly be made between molecular and supra molecular species using scaling approaches and conformational parameters obtained from AsFlFFF-MALS-RI over the entire size distribution. Small species in the barley beta-glucan samples display properties ranging from elongated conformation to random coil conformation. Aggregates have

low apparent densities and a swollen micro gel structure. Oat beta-glucan displays no properties that can be attributed to a molecularly dissolved beta-glucan showing that dissolution was incomplete. The aggregate properties analyzed were similar between oat and barley beta-glucan.

• Author: Andreas Håkansson; Matilda Ulmius; Lars Nilsson
• Department/s: Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition; Pure and Applied Biochemistry
• Publishing year: 2012
• Language: English
• Pages: 518-523
• Publication/Series: Carbohydrate Polymers
• Volume: 87
• Issue: 1
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.08.014
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Topic: Food Engineering; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Keywords: Beta-glucan Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation AF4 Oat Barley
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0144-8617