The use of different analytical methods to measure the dietary fibre content of foods complicates the
interpretation of epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to determine the total (TDF) and
insoluble (IDF) fibre content of 14 boiled and canned legumes commonly consumed in the UK using the
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) enzymatic gravimetric method. The fibre values
obtained were compared to non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) values. The results showed that mean
values for TDF (2.7–11.2 g/100 g) were higher than NSP (2.6–6.7 g/100 g), with a mean NSP:TDF ratio of
1:1.43. TDF was correlated with NSP (r = 0.6; p = 0.02). Canning significantly reduced TDF and IDF by
an average of 30% and 26% compared to boiling respectively. However, IDF represented at least 60%
of the TDF in both boiled and canned samples. In conclusion, fibre values are affected by the processing
and analytical method used.