An investigation of the experimental conditions which could affect water‐holding capacity of dietary fibre

The water‐holding capacity (WHC) of various sources of vegetable and cereal dietary fibre has been measured under different experimental conditions. WHC was measured by centrifugation and filtration. The results obtained suggest that prolonged soaking has no effect on WHC. Fibre agitation, the presence of buffer (pH 7.5), and the presence of bile salt (deoxycholate) also had no effect on WHC, except for never‐dried potato fibre (NDPF) (fresh fibre concentrate). WHC, however, does vary with the method of measurement and the WHC determined by centrifugation was greater than that determined by filtration. The differences in WHC between NDPF and dried potato fibre are not due to gross chemical differences in the fibre. The conditions used for the preparation of dietary fibre and the measurement of its WHC, therefore, must be carefully controlled before the role of fibre in the diet can be better understood.