Forty-one fresh fruits frequently consumed in the Taiwan area were analysed for their dietary fiber content by
an enzymatic-gravimetric method. Total dietary fiber (TDF) of these fruits ranged from 0.2 g (per 100 g edible
weight) in grapes to 8.6 g in eggfruit. In citrus fruit, the proportion of soluble fiber in TDF was more than 50%.
However, in some fruits like guavas and waxapple, soluble fiber took less than 30% of TDF. Soluble fiber in
almost all fruit was comprised of a large amount of uronic acids, while the composition of insoluble noncellulose
polysaccharides (INCP) varied a great deal. Mangos and pummelos of different
varieties were
different
in their sugar composition of INCP.
Insoluble non-cellulose polysaccharides of a crisp type of
persimmon
had more arabinose and galactose, but those of soft persimmon contained mainly xylose. These
results
show that different
types of fruit are distinct in their composition and hence, the properties of their
dietary
fiber.
These
data are useful for dietary assessments in Taiwan
and South-East Asia.