Total Arabinoxylan Research Articles

Efficient arabinoxylan assay for wheat: Exploring variability and molecular marker associations in Wholemeal and refined flour

In this study, we present a modified high throughput phloroglucinol colorimetric assay for the quantification of arabinoxylans (AX) in wheat named PentoQuant. The method was downscaled from a 10 ml glass tube to 2 ml microcentrifuge tube format, resulting in a fivefold increase in throughput while concurrently reducing the overall cost and manual labor required for the analysis. Comparison with established colorimetric assays and gas chromatography validates the modified protocol, demonstrating its superior repeatability, rapidity, and simplicity. The effectiveness of the protocol was tested on 606 unique whole meal (WM) and refined flour (RF) bread wheat samples which revealed the presence of more than a twofold variation in both the soluble (WE-AX) and total (TOT-AX) AX fractions in WM (TOT-AX = 31.9–76.1 mg/g; WE-AX = 4.4–12.6 mg/g) and RF (TOT-AX = 7.7–22.4 mg/g; WE-AX = 3.9–11.4 mg/g). Results obtained from the AX quantification were used to test the effectiveness of four molecular markers associated with AX variation and targeting two major genomic regions on the 1BL and 6BS chromosomes. These markers appeared to be particularly relevant for the WE-AX fraction, providing insights to enable marker-assisted breeding.

Effects of pearling on proximate composition, dough rheology, bread-making quality and health-promoting components of elite wheat cultivars

Though the health benefits of whole wheat products have been widely recognized, their less desirable processing qualities limited consumers’ acceptance. Thus, it is imperative to develop processing techniques for balanced nutritional and processing qualities. In this study, we investigated impacts of two grain pearling (debranning) levels on proximate composition, dough rheological properties, food-making quality, arabinoxylans (AXs), alkylresorcinols (ARs) and phenolic acids composition of two elite bread wheat cultivars. Pearled flour (PF) of Zhongmai 175 retained very good dough extensibility (190.7–195.5 mm), while PF of Zhongmai 578 retained medium-to-strong gluten strength and acceptable bread-making quality. Compared to whole wheat flour, PF preserved major portion of the health-promoting components in wheat grains, i.e., 71.4–94.0 % for water-extractable AXs, 68.1–86.3 % for total AXs, 71.4–92.7 % for alkylresorcinols, 85.5–98.9 % for soluble ferulic acid and 67.3–83.3 % for insoluble-bound ferulic acid. Further investigation is needed to understand the effects of different kernel sizes and debranning rates on nutritional profiles of pearled grains. Taken together, our results suggested that grain pearling can be used to produce wheat products with balanced nutritional and processing quality for improved human health.

Holo-analysis of the effects of xylo-oligosaccharides on broiler chicken performance

ABSTRACT 1. Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) stimulate proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens. This results in enhanced utilisation of dietary non-starch polysaccharides and increased production of valuable short-chain fatty acids. However, these positive effects do not always translate into improved bird productive performance, with inconsistent performance responses observed between bird trials. 2. A holo-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing XOS into broiler diets on bird feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion and mortality. This was done by comparing the XOS supplemented treatment to the control treatment. A total of 53 studies which met the criteria for inclusion were used in the analysis. 3. The results showed that XOS had a notable positive impact on bird mortality; XOS reduced mortality by 0.69% for every 1% increment in the control group. XOS supplementation induced a positive effect on the feed conversion ratio (FCR). However, the efficacy of XOS at improving FCR was dependent on the efficiency of the control group (performance of the flock), and the concentration of total arabinoxylan, protein and phytase in the diet. There were insufficient data points to predict the effect of XOS on body weight and feed intake. 4. In conclusion, the holo-analysis revealed that supplementing XOS to broiler chicken diets reduces bird mortality. XOS can also improve FCR, but the scale of response is dependent on the diet composition and control flock performance. Additional studies are required to confirm the effects of XOS on body weight and feed intake.

Using in feed xylanase or stimbiotic to reduce the variability in corn nutritive value for broiler chickens

This study investigated the effects of xylanase and stimbiotic (fiber fermentation enhancer) on the response of broiler chickens fed different corn varieties and determine correlations between variables of interest. Four corn genetic varieties were selected based on their range in nutrient composition. Diets containing 600 g/kg of each corn were supplemented with 0 or 100 g/ton of xylanase or stimbiotic. A total of 1,152 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided into 12 treatments, each with 8 pens and 12 birds per pen, for a 21-day study. On d 21, performance parameters were measured, and the ileal energy and organic matter (OM) digestibility and cecal xylanase activity determined. Stimbiotic supplementation improved mFCR compared with all other treatments. There was a treatment by corn variety interaction for body weight (BW), BW gain and coefficient of variation (CV) of BW (P ≤ 0.05). Birds fed corn Variety 1 (highest neutral dietary fiber, protein and soluble arabinoxylan content) supplemented with stimbiotic had the highest BW, while Variety 2 control diet had the lowest. The BW CV in corn Variety 2 was the highest, which improved with stimbiotic supplementation. The BW CV in corn Variety 1 responded better to stimbiotic than xylanase. There were no treatment differences on BW CV in corn Varieties 3 and 4. The lowest OM digestibility was observed in birds fed corn Variety 1 with xylanase, and the highest value was associated with corn Variety 3 with xylanase (highest total arabinoxylan). Xylanase and stimbiotic supplementation increased the endogenous xylanase activity regardless of the corn variety (P ≤ 0.05). Positive correlations between corn fiber contents and phytic acid and the arabinose:xylose ratio were seen, while nonstarch polysaccharide content was negatively correlated with apparent metabolizable energy. In conclusion, corn variety influenced nutrient digestibility and broiler chicken growth. The response to supplementation with xylanase or stimbiotic varied based on the nutritional profile of corn with regards to improvements in digestibility and performance in broiler chickens.

Unveiling the influence of adaptation time on xylanase and arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide efficacy: a study on nutrient digestibility, viscosity, and scanning electron microscopy in the small and large intestine of growing pigs fed insoluble fiber.

The experiment objective was to evaluate the impact of xylanase over time on viscosity and digestibility in growing pigs fed corn-based fiber. Twenty gilts with an initial body weight of 30.6 ± 0.2 kg (n = 5 per dietary treatment) were fitted with t-cannulae in the medial jejunum and terminal ileum, housed individually, and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: low-fiber control (LF) with 10.4% total dietary fiber (TDF), 30% corn bran high-fiber control (HF; 26.4% TDF), HF + 100 mg xylanase/kg (XY; Econase XT 25P; AB Vista, Marlborough, UK), and HF + 50 mg arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide/kg (AX). Gilts were limit fed for three 17 d periods (P1, P2, P3); each included 5 d adaptation, 2 d fecal collection, 3 d ileal collection, 3 d jejunal collection, and 4 d related rate of passage study. Data were analyzed as repeated measures using a linear mixed model with surgery date as a random effect, and dietary treatment, period, and their interaction as fixed effects. Jejunal and ileal digesta viscosity did not differ among dietary treatments or periods (P > 0.10). There was a dietary treatment × period interaction for the apparent jejunal digestibility (AJD) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total arabinoxylan (T-AX), total non-starch polysaccharide (T-NSP), and TDF (P≤ 0.05). In P1, LF had the greatest AJD of DM (15.5%), and relative to HF and AX, XY decreased it (9.3%, 10.1 %, and 6.3%, respectively). In P2, the AJD of DM in XY was greater than HF (11.7% vs. 9.1%) but did not differ from AX (10.5%). Relative to HF, in P3, XY increased AJD of DM (11.7 vs 15.3%), and AX decreased it (7.2%). For the AJD of NDF, AX performed intermediately in P1; in P2, relative to HF, XY, and AX increased the AJD of NDF (8.4%, 13.1%, and 11.7%, respectively), and in P3, XY, and LF did not differ (13.6 vs. 14.4%). A similar response was observed for the AJD of IDF and TDF, except for XY having the greatest AJD of IDF, T-AX, T-NSP, and TDF in P3 (P < 0.05). Compared to LF, irrespective of period, HF decreased the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of IDF, TDF, and NDF (P < 0.05). Relative to HF, XY partially mitigated this effect, improving the AID and ATTD of TDF, IDF, and NDF (P < 0.05). Increased corn-based fiber decreased nutrient digestibility, but XY partially mitigated that effect in the small intestine through enhanced fiber digestibility when given sufficient adaptation time.

Filtration enzymes applied during mashing affect beer composition and viscosity

Why was the work done: Filtration enzymes that target the degradation of arabinoxylan and β-glucan are widely used in the brewing industry to improve wort and beer filtration. Although these enzymes have proven their effectiveness in improved lautering efficiency and beer filterability, the effect of varying dosage and type of enzyme preparations on beer composition and quality has not been described.&#x0D; How was the work done: The impact of dosage of different filtration enzyme preparations (Laminex®750, Laminex®C2K, and Laminex®MaxFlow4G) was investigated on the free ferulic acid content in the wort, chemical composition and viscosity of beer, together with an emphasis on the content and structure of arabinoxylan and β-glucan.&#x0D; What are the main findings: The structural features of arabinoxylan and β-glucan in beer were strongly influenced by the dosage and type of filtration enzyme. In general, the high-molecular weight (HMW) arabinoxylan and HMW β-glucan content, and total β-glucan content in beers decreased with increasing enzyme dosage, while the total arabinoxylan levels increased. The HMW arabinoxylan content was strongly related to beer viscosity. The use of filtration enzymes led to a decreased HMW arabinoxylan content and decreased beer viscosity, which could affect the palate fullness of beers. Overdosing filtration enzymes resulted in more ferulic acid, the precursor (in the presence of phenolic yeast) to the clove-like 4-vinyl guaiacol.&#x0D; Why is the work important: This work provides brewers with insight on how filtration enzymes affect beer composition and viscosity. It can help make an informed choice of the type of filtration enzyme and the dosage applied during mashing.

Study on the spatio-temporal variation of arabinoxylan and alkylresorcinol in wheat grains

The purpose of this study was to clarify the spatio-temporal variation of arabinoxylan (AX) and alkylresorcinol (AR) in wheat. The total arabinoxylan (TOT-AX), water-extractable arabinoxylan (WE-AX), and AR contents of wheat from the main wheat producing areas of China were investigated. The effects of the geographical origin, variety, harvest year, their interactions, and irrigation frequency on the content and structure vibrations of AX and AR in wheat grains were studied based on the field experiment combined with one-way and multi-way analysis of variance. The results showed that the TOT-AX, WE-AX, and AR contents of wheat from the main wheat producing areas of China were 27.03–64.16 mg/g, 3.81–9.70 mg/g and 275.6–661.7 µg/g, respectively. Except for the irrigation, other factors had significant effects on the AX and AR contents of wheat, and the variety had the greatest effect. Xiaoyan 22, Xinmai 18, and Hengguan 35 had the highest TOT-AX, WE-AX and AR contents, respectively. The O-H stretching vibration of AX and AR and the skeleton vibrations of the aromatic ring of AR was mainly affected by the variety. This study indicated that Xiaoyan 22, Xinmai 18, and Hengguan 35 can be used for producing foods with high TOT-AX, WE-AX, and AR contents, respectively.

Selection of barley varieties with increased non‐starch polysaccharides using chemometric methods for their bread‐making potential

AbstractThis study aimed to check the bread‐making potential of indigenous barley varieties comprising high non‐starch polysaccharides (NSPs). For this purpose, all the available barley varieties in four provinces of Pakistan were characterized for their β‐glucan and total arabinoxylan content. Barley varieties with increased NSPs were selected (one variety from each province) using chemometric methods. The selected varieties were used in the development of wheat barley composite flour bread. Total arabinoxylans and β‐glucan content in Pakistani barley varieties ranged between 3.89 ± 0.085% to 6.23 ± 0.155% and 2.65 ± 0.053% to 6.97 ± 0.191%, respectively. Based upon chemometric characterization four best varieties (one best variety from each province) were selected for bread preparation. Rakhshan‐10 (from Balochistan) and Jau‐e‐Paghmbari (from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) were identified as the top varieties with the highest NSPs. Among varieties procured from Punjab and Sindh province; Sultan‐17 and Sadabahar comprised the highest NSPs. Different treatment combinations of wheat barley composite flour were made by replacing wheat flour with barley flour up to 30%. The prepared breads were evaluated for their physico‐chemical and sensory attributes. An increasing percentage of barley flour in wheat flour significantly increased crude protein, crude fiber, and NSPs. Barley varieties Sultan‐17 and Sadabahar did not have a significant influence on sensory attributes of bread up to 20% however, Rakhshan‐10 and Jau‐e‐Paghmbari had a significant effect, particularly on the color of crumb, texture, and loaf volume.Novelty impact statementThis study investigates the bread‐making characteristics of barley varieties with different concentrations of non‐starch polysaccharides (NSPs) and showed a good potential for developing fiber‐enriched bread using barley varieties comprising high NSPs. However, the bread recipe needs to be optimized concerning the concentration of barley flour as well as sensory characteristics. The findings of this preliminary study will help food industries to distinguish different indigenous barley varieties to get good quality end products with increased nutritional value.

Effects of malting process on molecular weight distribution and content of total and water-extractable arabinoxylan in barley

This work aims to evaluate the effects of the malting process on the malt total and water-extractable (WE) arabinoxylan (AX), also considering the barley cultivar and year of cultivation. The WEAX molecular properties were characterized by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) - triple detector array (TDA). Most of the barley malt WEAX showed a molecular weight over 4.0 × 105 Da with a random coil conformation. Compared to raw barley, the malts show analogous content of AX and WEAX, similar intrinsic viscosity, less rigid conformation, and higher polydispersity. The WEAX content of malt was highly and negatively related to the common quality parameters, resulting in a useful indicator of malt modification, even more representative than the total AX content. WEAX is highly positively related to the Congress wort viscosity, and thus, lautering could be more significantly affected by WEAX rather than total AX content.

In vivo formation of arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides by dietary endo-xylanase alters arabinoxylan utilization in broilers

Previously, arabinoxylan (AX) depolymerization by dietary endo-xylanase was observed in the broiler ileum, but released arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) were not characterized in detail. This study aimed at extracting and identifying AXOS released in vivo in broilers, in order to delineate the influence of endo-xylanase on AX utilization. Hereto, digesta from the gizzard, ileum, ceca and excreta of broilers fed a wheat-soybean diet without (Con) or with endo-xylanase supplementation (Enz) were assessed. Soluble AX content in the ileum was higher for Enz diet (26.9%) than for Con diet (18.8%), indicating a different type and amount of AX entering the ceca. Removal of maltodextrins and fructans enabled monitoring of AX depolymerization to AXOS (Enz diet) using HPSEC-RI and HPAEC-PAD. A recently developed HILIC-MSn methodology allowed AXOS (DP 4–10) identification in ileal digesta and excreta. Xylanase-induced AXOS formation coincided with decreased total tract AX recovery, which indicated improved AX hindgut utilization.

Extrusion Cooking Effect on Carbohydrate Fraction in Novel Gluten-Free Flours Based on Chickpea and Rice.

Extrusion cooking allows the development of value-added products from pulses, such as gluten-free snacks with added functional properties. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by the extrusion process on the carbohydrate fraction (total carbohydrates, soluble sugars and oligosaccharides, dietary fiber, and arabinoxylans) of novel flour formulations based on chickpeas and rice enriched with different dietary fiber sources. Moreover, the influence of the addition of fiber-rich ingredients, such as Fibersol® and passion fruit, on the analyzed compounds was also evaluated. Sucrose was the main soluble sugar found in analyzed formulations, and raffinose was the prevalent oligosaccharide, followed by stachyose. The content of total α-galactosides tended to be higher after extrusion cooking. As a consequence of the extrusion treatment, the content of total and soluble dietary fiber was statistically increased in most of the analyzed samples. In general, no significant changes were observed in total arabinoxylan content as a consequence of the extrusion process, while the content of water-soluble arabinoxylans was significantly increased in extruded formulations. It was observed that the content of total available carbohydrates, stachyose, and water-soluble arabinoxylans were significantly influenced by the addition of passion fruit, Fibersol®, and both. The incorporation of these ingredients in gluten-free formulations based on chickpeas and rice allows one to obtain suitable functional formulations for the development of innovative, gluten-free, extruded snack-type products, which could be an interesting alternative for people with celiac disease.

Interaction between xylanase and a proton pump inhibitor on broiler chicken performance and gut function.

Three hundred thirty-six Ross 308 male broiler chicks were used in a 21-d study to explore performance and gut function when treated with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI; 0 or 89 mg/kg) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with a xylanase (Xyl; 0 or 0.1 g/kg) to determine if the beneficial activity of arabinoxylan (AX) depolymerisation, through arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) production, starts in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Treatment with the PPI started from d 14, and by d 21 animal performance had deteriorated (P < 0.001). An interaction was observed between PPI and Xyl for feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.05), whereby the combination reduced the negative effect of PPI on FCR. Application of PPI raised digesta pH in the gizzard and caecum (P < 0.05), increased protein concentrations in the lower gut (P < 0.05) and reduced intake of digestible nutrients (P < 0.05). Caecal concentrations of indole, p-cresol, ammonia and the ratio of total volatile fatty acid (VFA) to butyric acid were increased with PPI (P < 0.05), indicating enhanced protein fermentation. Xylanase activity in the digesta were greatest in the caeca, especially when Xyl was supplemented (P < 0.001). The concentration of total soluble AX was greater in the gizzard and ileal digesta with Xyl supplementation (P < 0.05), supporting the depolymerisation action of xylanase even under acidic conditions. These data suggest xylanase may function in the gizzard even though pH is not optimal for activity and emphasises the importance of chlorohydric acid secretions in ensuring overall optimum gut function. AX depolymerisation benefits animal performance although it is still unknown how the AXOS produced with xylanase supplementation in the upper gastrointestinal tract influence the microbial populations and overall gut functionality.

Hydration properties and arabinoxylans content of whole wheat flour intended for cookie production as affected by particle size and Brazilian cultivars

The effect of particle size (PS), cultivars (C), and their interactions (PS × C) on the hydration of whole wheat flour (WWF) intended for cookie production was evaluated by different approaches. Three Brazilian wheat cultivars and three particle sizes were evaluated. Total arabinoxylans content was affected by PS, increasing up to 6.18 times with the reduction in particle size. Water-soluble arabinoxylans were more influenced by the cultivar. The water absorption capacity by farinograph indicated that the PS had a greater influence, with high absorption in fine particle size flour. Water absorption based on swelling capacity and absorption kinetics by Enslin-Neff device evidenced high water absorption for coarse particle size flour, regardless the cultivar. ORS Vintecinco cultivar demonstrated the best hydration properties and desired quality for short-dough cookies. The different methods to predict the hydration properties of the flours resulted in different behaviors, demonstrating that the presence of outer layers of the grain of WWF promotes distinct mechanisms in the water absorption capacity, which are significantly influenced by genotype and particle size factors.

Efficacy of supplemental multi-carbohydrases in broiler diets depends on soluble arabinoxylan-to-total arabinoxylan content

ABSTRACT 1. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of multi-carbohydrase enzymes (MC) on net energy (NE), performance and gene expression in Cobb 500 broilers fed diets containing different levels of soluble and total arabinoxylan (sAX/tAX) ratios. 2. The study employed a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments, with factors including with or without MC and three ratios of sAX/tAX: high (HS, 27.3%), intermediate (IS, 21.3%) and low (LS, 15.7%). 3. Six dietary treatments were formulated, with each diet replicated five times in the calorimetric study (Experiment 1) and eight times for a floor pen feeding trial (Experiment 2). 4. Experiment 1 showed significant (P < 0.01) MC × sAX/tAX interactions for apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and NE. These interactions indicated that the supplemental MC increased AME only in the HS diet, and NE in the HS and LS diets. 5. Experiment 2 results showed MC × sAX/tAX interactions for feed conversion ratio (FCR, P < 0.01) and ileal digesta viscosity (P < 0.05), demonstrating that MC lowered FCR only in the LS-fed birds, and reduced digesta viscosity only in the HS-fed birds. Apparent ileal digestible crude protein (AID CP) was negatively correlated with ileal digesta viscosity (r = −0.735, P < 0.001), which suggested that increasing ileal digesta viscosity reduced AID CP. 6. A significant (P < 0.05) MC × sAX/tAX interaction was observed for duodenal COX III mRNA gene expression, which indicated that this gene was upregulated in the IS-fed birds relative to the HS-fed birds, but only when MC was added. This gene was downregulated (P < 0.05) in the muscle in the presence of MC application in all diets. 7. The results from this study showed that supplemental MC can improve NE and FCR in birds fed diets containing the low sAX/tAX ratios.

133 Supplementing xylanase increased the digestibility of non-starch polysaccharides, particularly arabinoxylan, in diets high in insoluble corn fiber fed to swine with a 36-d dietary adaptation period

Abstract Xylanase should increase arabinoxylan digestibility in swine, but the responses in corn-based diets are inconsistent. The experimental objective was to investigate xylanase efficacy in growing pigs fed a diet high in insoluble corn fiber and afforded a longer adaptation period than typically reported in the literature. Sixty gilts (25.4 ± 0.9 kg BW; L337 × Camborough), were blocked by weight, housed individually, and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: a low-fiber control [LF; 6.9% non-starch polysaccharides (NSP)], a 30% corn bran high-fiber control (HF; 17.6% NSP), HF + 100 mg xylanase/kg (HF+XY; Econase XT 25P; AB Vista, Marlborough, UK), and HF + 50 mg arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide/kg (HF+AX; 3-7 degrees of polymerization). Diets contained 0.5% CrO3. Gilts were fed ad libitum for 36 d, followed by 10-d of limit feeding (80% of average ad libitum intake) and were housed in metabolism crates. On d 46, pigs were necropsied and ileal, cecal, and colonic digesta were collected; ileal digesta was pooled within replicate for NSP analysis (n=6 per treatment). Data were analyzed as a linear mixed model using replicate and block as random effects, and treatment as a fixed effect. Compared to LF, the HF diet reduced (P&amp;lt; 0.01) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of total NSP (32.7 vs. 16.3%), insoluble NSP (50.0 vs. 21.5%), and insoluble arabinoxylan (29.8 vs. 15.4%). Xylanase (HF+XY vs. HF) increased (P&amp;lt; 0.01) AID of total NSP by 39.8% (27.1 vs. 16.3%) and insoluble NSP by 34.0%. This may be attributed to xylanase increasing AID of total arabinoxylan by 54.5% over HF, 44.5% over LF, and 56.9% over HF+AX (33.0, 15.1, 18.3, and 14.2%, respectively; P=0.02). In conclusion, increasing insoluble fiber reduces NSP digestibility, but xylanase can increase AID of arabinoxylan and NSP. Supplementing an arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide, a potential release product of the xylanase, did not increase NSP digestibility.

Endogenous arabinoxylans variability in refined wheat flour and its relationship with quality traits

Arabinoxylans (AXs) are the major dietary fiber (DF) component in wheat and their consumption has been associated with several health benefits. Genetic improvement of the AX in refined wheat flour could be a good solution to improve the DF daily consumption while maintaining the flour desirable quality. In this study, 193 common wheat lines were analyzed for their AX content in refined flour and end-use quality. Wide variation in both the total arabinoxylan (TOT-AX) (10.8–16.5 mg/g) and water-extractable arabinoxylan (WE-AX) (3.2–7.6 mg/g) was identified and, in both cases, the genotype had the greatest impact on the observed phenotypes. Variation in the endogenous AX fractions appeared to have a moderate effect on wheat quality. The WE-AX, specifically, were positively correlated with gluten strength (r = 0.11 to 0.32) and bread loaf volume (r = 0.16), whereas the TOT-AX were negatively correlated with dough extensibility (r = −0.11) and bread making quality (r = −0.11). Overall, results of this study show that the genetic improvement of grain AX is feasible and that the AXs present in refined flour do not dramatically alter wheat quality indicating that it is possible to select varieties with high AX endosperm content end desired end-use quality.

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides kick-start arabinoxylan digestion in the aging broiler

While arabinoxylans (AX), an important dietary fiber fraction of wheat-based broiler diets, are known for exerting antinutritional effects in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of broilers, the prebiotic potential of arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) is also well-documented. However, inconsistent performance responses as well as the effectiveness of low amounts of AXOS used in diets of previously conducted experiments put into question the classical prebiotic route being the sole mode of action of AXOS. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary AXOS addition on the rate of AX digestion in the gastrointestinal tract of broilers as a function of broiler age to gain more insight into the mode of action of these oligosaccharides. A feeding trial was performed on 480 one-day-old chicks (Ross 308) receiving a wheat-based diet supplemented with or without 0.50% AXOS, containing no endoxylanases. Digesta samples from ileum and caeca and fecal samples were analyzed for AX content, AX digestibility, intestinal viscosity, and microbial AX-degrading enzyme activities at 6 different ages (day 5, 10, 15, 21, 28, 35). Chicks fed from hatching with 0.50% AXOS demonstrated a higher ileal viscosity (P < 0.05). Also higher levels of AX solubilization and fermentation compared to control birds at 10 D were observed. This was noted by the higher total tract AX digestibility of water-extractable AX (WE-AX) and total AX (TOT-AX) at this age (P < 0.05). Although no significant difference in AX-degrading enzyme activities was observed among the dietary treatments, AXOS supplementation in young broilers was shown to stimulate or “kick-start” dietary AX digestion, thereby speeding up the development of a fiber-fermenting microbiome in the young broiler. This stimulation effect of AXOS could enable greater functional value to be extracted from dietary fiber in broiler feeds.

Application of an orcinol-ferric chloride colorimetric assay in barley and wheat accessions for water-extractable and total arabinoxylan

Arabinoxylan is an important hemicellulose potentially affecting wheat baking qualities, barley malt quality, and may impart prebiotic benefits. Water-extractable (WEAX) and total arabinoxylan (TOAX) were characterized in 204 wheat and barley accessions, respectively, using an orcinol-ferric chloride assay. WEAX measurement accuracy was optimum when glucose concentration was greater than 12–13 times pentose concentration. The modified method removed enough excess glucose spectral absorbance to make the corrected and uncorrected lines different, but still significantly correlated (p = 0.009, R = 0.94). Mean WEAX (expressed as percentage WEAX of TOAX) for the wheat accessions was 15.90%, ranging from 8.82% to 24.87%, and for barley accessions WEAX the mean was 7.10%, and ranged from 2.98% to 13.86%. Conclusions are 1) the assay is useful for a breeding program because of its semi-high throughput design for the simultaneous analysis of 16 (WEAX) to 40 (TOAX) barley lines or 24 (WEAX) to 40 (TOAX) wheat lines, 2) the trichromatic measurement reduces the impact of glucose, and 3) the broad range of WEAX measured showed that barley and wheat accessions vary in their extractable and unextractable components.

Identification of a major QTL and associated molecular marker for high arabinoxylan fibre in white wheat flour.

Dietary fibre (DF) has multiple health benefits and wheat grains are major sources of DF for human health. However, DF is depleted in white wheat flour which is more widely consumed than wholegrain. The major DF component in white flour is the cell wall polysaccharide arabinoxylan (AX). We have identified the Chinese wheat cultivar Yumai 34 as having unusually high contents of AX in both water-soluble and insoluble forms. We have therefore used populations generated from crosses between Yumai 34 and four other wheat cultivars, three with average contents of AX (Ukrainka, Altigo and Claire) and one also having unusually high AX (Valoris), in order to map QTLs for soluble AX (determined as relative viscosity of aqueous extracts of wholemeal flours) and total AX (determined by enzyme fingerprinting of white flour). A number of QTL were mapped, but most were only detected in one or two crosses. However, all four crosses showed strong QTLs for high RV/total AX on chromosome 1B, with Yumai 34 being the increasing parent, and a KASP marker for the Yumai 34 high AX allele was validated by analysis of high AX lines derived from Yumai 34 but selected by biochemical analysis. A QTL for RV was also mapped on chromosome 6B in Yumai 34 x Valoris, with Valoris being the increasing allele, which is consistent with the observation of transgressive segregation for this population. Association studies in an independent germplasm panel identified marker trait associations for relative viscosity in these same locations while direct selection for fibre content in breeding resulted in high levels of enrichment for the Yumai 34 1B allele. The data therefore indicate that marker-assisted breeding can be used to develop wheat with high AX fibre in white flour.

Effects of Growth Conditions and Cultivar on the Content and Physiochemical Properties of Arabinoxylan in Barley.

The present study aims to evaluate the effect of the growth conditions and the cultivar on the total and water-extractable (W-E) arabinoxylan (AX) in barley. For this purpose, nine barley varieties from two different years were analyzed. The total AX content ranged from 5.97 to 8.98 wt % d.m., while the W-E AX ranged from 0.06 to 0.35 wt % d.m. The W-E AX molecular properties were characterized by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC)-triple detector array (TDA). The molecular weight was between 2.3 × 105 and 12.6 × 105 Da, the polydispersity was between moderate and broad (1.1 < Mw/Mn < 4.3), and the conformation was a stiff semiflexible coil (0.5 < α < 1.3). The results indicate that the year influences the content of total AX and W-E AX and some molecular characteristics of W-E AX, such as its polydispersity and its conformation. Finally, the results demonstrated that the W-E AX can be used as an index of the malting attitude of barley because it positively correlates with germinative energy and kernel dimension.