VARIATION IN DIETARY FIBER CONTENT OF PEA S (PISUM-SATIVUM) AS FUNCTION OF VARIETY, SIZE AND ANALYTICAL METHOD

The dietary fibre content of two varieties of peas was studied (Citrin a and Warindo) and classified into four sizes according to seed diamet er (super fine, SF: 4.7-7.5 mm; very fine; VF: 7.6-8.2 mm; fine, FN: 8 .-8.8 mm, and medium, MD: 8.9-10.2 mm). The two analytical procedures used were the official enzymatic-gravimetric to determine the total di etary fibre (TDF), soluble dietary fibre (SDF) and insoluble dietary f ibre (IDF), and the enzymatic-chemical method, in which dietary fibre is measured as total non starch polysaccharides (NSPt), to determine t he soluble (NSPs) and the insoluble (NSPi) fractions. The TDF and IDF contents were greater than those of NSPt and NSPi because in the enzym atic-gravimetric methods resistant starch is a constituent of insolubl e fibre residues. The NSPs contents were larger than SDF in all sample s studied. The chemical analysis of NSPt, NSPs and NSPi residues showe d an increase of cellulose, xylose and arabinose contents, and a decre ase of uronic acids content during seed development.