Determination of Free Inositols and Other Low Molecular Weight Carbohydrates in Vegetables

Abstract

Different low molecular weight carbohydrates including saccharides, polyalcohols, sugar acids, and glycosides have been identified and quantified in different edible vegetables from Asteraceae, Amarantaceae, Amarylidaceae, Brassicaceae, Dioscoreaceae, and Solanaceae families by gas chromatography−mass spectrometry. Apart from glucose, fructose, and sucrose, other saccharides such as sedoheptulose in chicory, spinach, cabbage, purple yam, eggplant, radish, and oak leaf lettuce, rutinose in eggplant skin, and a glycosyl-inositol in spinach have been identified. chiro-Inositol was found in all vegetables of the Asteraceae family (3.1−32.6 mg 100 g−1), whereas scyllo-inositol was detected in those of purple yam, eggplant, artichoke, chicory, escarole, and endive (traces−23.2 mg 100 g−1). α-Galactosides, kestose, glucaric acid, and glycosyl-glycerols were also identified and quantified in some of the analyzed vegetables. Considering the bioactivity of most of these compounds, mainly chicory leaves, artichokes, lettuces, and purple yam could constitute beneficial sources for human health.

Diversity in composition of scarlet (S. aethiopicum) and gboma (S. macrocarpon) eggplants and of interspecific hybrids between S. aethiopicum and common eggplant (S. melongena)

“…Total available carbohydrates content of scarlet and gboma eggplants was similar to that found in previous studies with common eggplant (Esteban et al, 1989;Boo et al, 2010;Hernández-Hernández et al, 2011;San José et al, 2013Nyadanu and Lowor, 2014), although gboma eggplant had higher contents than scarlet eggplant. The soluble sugars, which are responsible for a sweet taste in fruits and vegetables (Nookaraju et al, 2010), presented a different profile among the species studied although values were higher in scarlet eggplants, which may result in a sweeter taste for the latter species.…”

Effects of brassinosteroid analogues on total phenols, antioxidant activity, sugars, organic acids and yield of field grown endive (Cichorium endivia L.)

“…Sucrose was also detected in concentrations between 0.14 and 0.18 g 100 g −1 FW, and differences were not displayed among treatments. In this study, the endives sprayed with DI‐31 and DI‐100, mixed with Tomex Amin, presented values five‐fold higher for sucrose and three‐fold higher for glucose and fructose than the obtained by Hernández‐Hernández et al . Nevertheless, Hernández‐Hernández et al .…”

“…In this study, the endives sprayed with DI‐31 and DI‐100, mixed with Tomex Amin, presented values five‐fold higher for sucrose and three‐fold higher for glucose and fructose than the obtained by Hernández‐Hernández et al . Nevertheless, Hernández‐Hernández et al . have recently reported the presence the small amounts of chiro‐inositol, scyllo‐inositol and myo‐inositol in endive.…”

Composition of eggplant cultivars of the Occidental type and implications for the improvement of nutritional and functional quality

“…The content in total available carbohydrates is similar to that found in former studies (Culpepper & Moon, ; Esteban et al ., ; Hernández‐Hernández et al ., ). The comparatively reduced levels of available carbohydrates in eggplant contribute to a low content in calories in this fruit.…”