Effect of Long-Term Storage on Dietary Fibre in Different Cultivars of Carrots

Abstract

Abstract The effect of refrigerated long-term storage (six months) on dietary fibre in raw carrots was investigated in twelve cultivars representing five different groups. In three of the cultivars the viscosity of water-soluble fibre polysaccharides was analysed as well. Further, the bulking capacity of eight cultivars was evaluated through balance experiments in rats. A decrease of certain dietary fibre components was generally observed after six months' storage. Thus, there was a considerable reduction of unsoluble fibre polysaccharides containing galactose, and in the soluble fraction of galactose and arabinose containing polymers. Simultaneously there was an increase of glucose- (cellulose) and uronic acid- (pectin) based fibres, probably due to losses of components other than dietary fibre, e.g. low molecular weight carbohydrates. This may also explain the apparent higher amount of total fibre, calculated on a dry-weight basis, generally obtained after storage. The proportion of soluble fibre as wel...