Hydrogen production in the rat following ingestion of raffinose, stachyose and oligosaccharide-free bean residue
Wagner, J.R.; Becker, R.; Gumbmann, M.R.; Olson, A.C.
Journal of Nutrition 106(4): 466-470
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 1255266 Document Number: 102123
Raffinose and stachyose were compared with cooked California Small White beans (CSW) containing 4% alpha -oligosaccharides (stachyose and raffinose) and with oligosaccharide-free CSW solids (residue from hexane and 70% ethanol extraction of CSW) as sources of hydrogen when ingested by rats maintained in life-support systems. If the oligosaccharide content were the only H2 source in CSW, it would have to be 25 times as potent as CSW, but raffinose was only 5 times and stachyose 7 times as potent as CSW. Oligosaccharide-free residue was 0.4 to 0.5 as active as CSW. H2-producing potencies of stachyose and raffinose were greater in combinations with residue. Increases in H2 production from the combinations were more than additive. Thus, CSW contains at least one 70% alcohol-insoluble substance which, in addition to the oligosaccharides, is essential to produce the full physiological response to whole beans observed in rats.