Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 2.21 An illustration of a glycogen macromolecule. The core is a glycogenic protein. The entire globular
granule may contain approximately 30,000 glucose units.
2.3.2.3.3. FRUCTAN
The second-most abundant easily digestible polysaccharide found naturally is fructan.
Fructan is a polymer of b - D -fructofuranose. Fructan appears in agaves, artichokes, asparagus,
bananas, barley, burdock, camas, chicory root, dandelion, elecampane, garlic, green beans,
leeks, onion, rye, sun chokes (or Jerusalem artichokes), tomatoes, wheat, wild yam, yacon,
yicama, etc. Jerusalem artichokes and yacon have the highest concentrations of fructan in
crops. There are three types of fructan as shown in Fig. 2.23 : inulin, levan, and graminan.
FIGURE 2.22 Glycogen structural segment. The straight chain may have 8 e 12 units in each section, which is
connected by a 1-O-4, while the branching occurs via a 1-O-6.
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