Agave fructans

Gomez E, Tuohy KM, Gibson GR, Klinder A, Costabile A. In vitro evaluation of the fermentation properties and potential prebiotic activity of Agave fructans. / Appl Microbiol. 2009 108 2114-2121. 

Fructans are oligomers and polymers formed by polymerizing fructose from transport metabolite sucrose on one out of three possible starter trioses 1-kestose yields inulin-type (2 1)-p-D-fructans, 6-kestose yields levan-type (2 6)-p-D-fructans (Fig. 3A), and neo-kes-tose yields mixcD-type and/or branched (2 1), (2 6)-p-D-fructans (Fig. 3C). Pronounced fructan metabolism is found in composites (chicory, Jerusalem artichoke), Liliaceae (onion, chives, garlic), cereals (wheat, barley, rye, oat), Asparagaceae (asparagus), Amaryllidaceae (banana), and Agavaceae (agave). 

L6pez., M. G., Mancilla., Margalli N. A., Mendoza Diaz., G., (2003). Molecular Structures of Fructans from Agave tequilana Weber van azul. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51, 7835-7840. 

From Blue Agave hearts Olifructine-SP (powder, >85% fructans) Nutriagaves de Mexico S.A. de C.V (Namex) Mexico... 

Ravenscroft, N Cescutti, R, Hearshaw, M.A. et al. (2009) Structural analysis of fructans from agave americana grown in South Africa for spirit production. J. Agric. Food Chem., 57, 3995-4003. 

Arrizon, J., Morel, S., Gschaedler, A. and Monsan, P. (2010) Comparison of the water-soluble carbohydrate composition and fructan structures of Agave tequilana plants of different ages. Food Chem., 122, 123-130. 

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