Helianthus tuberosus, inulin

Kaeser, W., Ultrastructure of storage cells in Jerusalem artichoke tubers (Helianthus tuberosus L.) vesicle formation during inulin synthesis, Z. Pflanzenphysiol., Ill, 253-260, 1983. 

Cieslik, E., Amino acid content of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers before and after storage, in Proceedings of the 7th Seminar on Inulin, Leuven, Belgium, 1998a, pp. 86-87. 

Saengthongpinit, W. and Sajjaanantakul, T., Influence of harvest time and storage temperature on characteristics of inulin from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers, Postharvest Biol. Technol., 37, 93-100, 2005. 

Baldini, M., Damuso, F., Turi, M., and Vannozzi, P., Evaluation of new clones of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) for inulin and sugar yield from stalks and tubers, Ind. Crops Prod., 19, 25 10, 2004. 

De Mastro, G., Manolio, G., and Marzi, V., Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) potential crops for inulin production in the Mediterranean area, Acta Hort., 629, 365-374, 2004. 

Honermeier, B., Runge, M., and Thoman, R., Influence of cultivar, nitrogen and irrigation on yield and quality of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.), in Proceedings of the Sixth Seminar on Inulin, Braunschweig, Germany, September 1996, Fuchs, A., Schittenhelm, S., and Frese, L., Eds., Carbohydrate Research Foundation, The Hague, 1996, pp. 35-36. 

Pejin, D., Jakovljevfc, J., Razmovski, R., and Berenji, J., Experience of cultivation, processing and application of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) in Yugoslavia, in Inulin and Inulin-Containing Crops, Fuchs, A., Ed., Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1993, pp. 51-56. 

Ben Chekroun, M., Evolution hivemale des glucides (inuline et polyfructosanes) dans les tubercules de topinambour (Helianthus tuberosus L.) et la racine de chicoree (Cichorium intybus L.), These Uni-versite de Limoges, Limoges, France, 1990, p. 146. 

Ernst, M., Histochemische Untersuchungen auf Inulin, Starke and Kallose bei Helianthus tuberosus L (Topi-nambur), Angew. Botanik, 65, 319-330, 1991. 

Hellwege, E.M., Raap, M., Gritscher, D., Willmitzer, L., and Heyer, A.G., Differences in chain length distribution of inulin from Cynara scolymus and Helianthus tuberosus are reflected in a transient plant expression system using the respective 1-FFT cDNAs, FEBS Lett., 427, 25-28, 1998. 

Leuscher, M., Erdin, C., Sprenger, N., Hochstrasser, U., Boiler, T., and Wiemken, A., Inulin synthesis by a combination of purified fructosyltransferases from tubers of Helianthus tuberosus, FEBS Lett., 385, 39-42, 1996. 

Praznik, W. and Beck, R.H.F., Inulin composition during growth of tubers of Helianthus tuberosus, Agric. Biol. Chem., 51, 1593-1599, 1987. 

Spitters, C.J.T., Modeling the seasonal dynamics of shoot and tuber growth of Helianthus tuberosus L., in Proceedings of the Third Seminar on Inulin, NRLO Report 90/28,Fuchs, A., Ed., Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1990b, pp. 1-8. 

Cabezas, M.J., Rabert, C., Bravo, S., and Shene, C., Inulin and sugar contents of Helianthus tuberosus and Cichorium intybus tubers effect of postharvest storage temperature, J. Food Sci., 67, 2860-2865, 2002. 

A unique plant on many levels, the distinctive properties of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) present novel answers to some of today s most pressing problems. Jerusalem artichoke is potentially a major source of inulin, a fructose polymer that provides dietary health benefits as a prebiotic that promotes intestinal health and as a low-calorie carbohydrate to combat obesity and diabetes. Inulin also has myriad industrial applications, including ethanol production — making Jerusalem artichoke a potential source of biofuel. With its ready cultivation and minimal pest and disease problems, Jerusalem artichoke is an underutilized resource that possesses the potential to meet major health and energy challenges. 

There are five classes of fructans inulin, levan, mixed levan, inulin neoseries, and levan neoseries [26]. Inulin is a linear polysaccharide composed of (2-l)-P-D-fructosyl units (Figure 2.5a). Levan is a linear polysaccharide composed of (2-6)-P-D-fructosyl units (Figure 2.5b). Mixed levan is a branched polysaccharide composed of (2-1) and (2-6)-P-D-fructosyl units. Inulin neoseries is a linear polysaccharide composed of two inulin polymers that are connected together by a sucrose molecule. Levan neoseries is a linear polysaccharide composed of two levan polymers linked together by the glucose unit of the sucrose molecule. The type of fructan produced varies with plant species. For example, plants such as chicory (Cichorium intybus) and Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) in the Asteraceae family produce inulin. Plants in the Liliaceae family such as garlic (Allium sativum) produce inulin neoseries. Plants in the Poaceae family such as wheat (Triticum spp.), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and oats (Avena sativa) produce mixed levan or levan neoseries. 

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