Physiochemical characterisation of inulin and Ryegrass fructan

M. Evans, J. A. Gallagher, I. Ratcliffe, P. A. Williams

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L., contains a significant amount of fructan and is becoming increasingly attractive as a biorefinery feedstock for the production of ethanol and platform chemicals. Unlike inulin, which consists of linear β (2,1) chains of fructose units terminating with a glucose molecule, fructans from perennial ryegrass consist of fructose chains containing both β (2,1) and β (2,6) linkages. There has been increasing interest in the use of inulin in food products in recent years because of its ability to form gels at high concentrations and because it functions as a dietary fibre. The major commercial source is chicory, and it has been estimated that over 350k tons are sold annually. Ryegrass may offer an alternative source of fructan, and this work aims to characterise and show structural information important to understanding the similarities and differences with chicory inulin.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGums and Stabilisers for the Food Industry
Subtitle of host publicationThe changing Face of Food Manufacture: The Role of Hydrocolloids
EditorsPeter Williams, Glyn O. Phillips
Pages73-78
Number of pages6
Volume17
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-78262-130-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Jun 2014

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