Profiling of commmercial agave fructooligosaccharides using ultrafiltration and high performance thin layer cromatography

A set of ingredients from chicory and Agave were analyzed to obtain the carbohydrate distribution and band profiling through Ultrafiltration and High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). For method standardization, reference materials and ingredients were used. Carbohydrate distribution was based in their separation by Ultrafiltration through 3 kDa membrane, allowing separation and quantification of long-chain fructans (degree of polymerization DP>10) from short-chain fructans (FOS DP<10). The relation of long-chain fructans versus short-chain fructans (long:short) resulted in 52-60:40-48 for Agave materials showing almost the same relation as the chicory ingredients. The retention factor (Rf ) of each band by HPTLC from each sample was recorded and compared to generate a characteristic chicory and Agave profile. The bands of fructose, sucrose, 1-kestose and nystose were identified in all materials analyzed. Additionally, at least four distinctive bands were observed in chicory and three in the Agave materials. It was possible to di erentiate between sources of fructans, since the band profiles were di erent. This approach to ingredients study showed to be useful to discriminate between Agave and chicory fructans and for following food industry quality control.