Studies of the fine structure of β-d-glucans of barleys extracted at different temperatures

Enzymic analyses of aqueous extracts of barley obtained at 25-100° demonstrated an exponential relationship between ß-d-glucan content and temperature. Purified ß-d-glucans, in particular those from extracts made at 40° and 100°, were compared by the Smith-degradation method followed by g.l.c. analysis of the methyl and the trimethylsilyl ethers of the products. All extracts yielded qualitatively the same products, including oligosaccharides which were characteristic of sequences of adjacent (1?3)-linkages. The material extracted at 100° contained relatively more of these sequences, and also showed a much higher specific viscosity, than did the material extracted at low temperatures. The structural implications of these findings are discussed. © 1977.