Fiber (Total - Resistant Oligosaccharides Method) Test

Method description

This method determines traditional total dietary fiber (TDF) and digestion-resistant oligosaccharides (ROs) in both food ingredients and food products. Samples (defatted if necessary) are first run by a traditional dietary fiber method, in which digestion with three enzymes (protease, amylase, and amyloglucosidase) is carried out in an MES-Tris buffer and traditional dietary fiber is precipitated with ethanol. The final filtrate solution from the traditional total dietary fiber analysis is collected after filtering off the precipitated dietary fiber. Resistant oligosaccharides are soluble in this alcoholic solution, so in order to quantitate them, the filtrate is evaporated to 20 mL. Deionized through a series of anion and cation exchange columns to remove interferences from buffers, salts, amino acids, peptides, and protein and then reconcentrated to 10 mL. The solution is mixed well and syringe filtered prior to analysis by size exclusion HPLC. The size exclusion HPLC columns separate sample solution components into peaks based on molecular weight. The peaks corresponding to oligosaccharides larger than DP2 are quantitated, summed, and reported as total resistant oligosaccharides.

Acceptable matrices

All foods and food products

Unacceptable matrices

Samples containing Stevia

Equipment

General Gravimetric Analytical Chemistry Equipment
HPLC-Refractive Index Detector

Method reference

AOAC 2001.03 with AOAC 991.43 digestion

Reportable unit

%

Sample size requirements

Please provide a sample of at least 20g to ensure results representative of sample submitted.

Information required by submitter

Please supply expected estimates. Indicate matrix type and indicate if samples are high fat (>5%). Indicate whether the sample contains fructans (inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)), or psyllium, flax and gum (i.e. guar gum).

Additional information

Resistant oligosaccharides are polysaccharides from DP3 and higher which are soluble in 78% ethanol and are resistant to digestion by amylase under the conditions of the traditional dietary fiber analysis (AOAC 991.43). In the past, this analysis has gone by names such as “fibersol” and “resistant maltodextrins.” At Medallion Labs, we feel that these terms are limiting because we know that other polysaccharides, such as fructans are also included in this result. We are using AOAC method 2001.03, but have renamed the result “resistant oligosaccharides” because we feel this is the proper, general classification for the molecules that are being measured.