Characterisation of polysaccharides of copra meal

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Abstract
To investigate the polysaccharide composition of copra meal, defatted meal was treated successively by hot water extraction, delignification with sodium chlorite and protein elimination with protease. The deproteinised holocellulose obtained was treated by extraction with 16% NaOH to give an alkaline extract and an alkali insoluble fraction. Acidification of the alkaline extract with glacial acetic acid gave a product termed polysaccharide A and subsequent ethanol precipitation of the acidified liquor gave a product termed polysaccharide B. The hot water extract (HWE) and polysaccharide B were further fractionated by gel permeation chromatography. Sugar composition analyses of the extraction products examined by gas‐liquid chromatography indicate that mannan is the major polysaccharide in copra meal and accounts for about 61% of the total polysaccharides in the deproteinised holocellulose. Other polysaccharides present in copra meal are, in descending order, cellulose, arabinoxylogalactan, galactomannan, arabinomannogalactan and galactoglucomannan.