Determination of resistant short-chain carbohydrates (non-digestible oligosaccharides) using gas-liquid chromatography

We have proposed the term short-chain carbohydrates (SCC) for those species , other than the free sugars, that are soluble in 80% ethanol under well-de fined conditions. We describe a technique for the measurement of resistant SCC (RSCC), which are not susceptible to pancreatic amylase or the brush bo rder enzymes and therefore sometimes termed non-digestible oligosaccharides . In the procedure, alpha-glucans (starch and maltodextrins) are hydrolysed enzymatically to glucose and the non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) are prec ipitated in ethanol. Fructans are hydrolysed enzymatically and the monosacc haride constituents are reduced to acid-stable alditol derivatives before t he remaining RSCC are hydrolysed with sulphuric acid. All the constituent s ugars are measured as alditol acetate derivatives by gas-liquid chromatogra phy. The protocol allows both the measurement of total RSCC and a separate, specific measurement of fructans. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.