Characterisation and yield of the arabinogalactan-protein mucilage of tarocorms

The main component of the tare corm is starch but appreciable quantities of water-soluble mucilage are also present. Tare mucilage was cold-water extr acted and purified by dispersion and hydrolysis of starch, removal of starc h hydrolysate and unconjugated protein. Compositional analysis of purified cold-water-soluble tare 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 tare varieties varied from 75.7 to 137.0 g kg(-1) (dry wt basis) amongs t different varieties. The purity of the final mucilage arabinogalactan was confirmed by ion-exchange chromatography and electrophoresis. (C) 1999 Soc iety of Chemical Industry.