Determination of carbohydrates and fructans content in Cyperus esculentus L.

The tiger nut contains different active ingredients like oil, tannins, sterols, saponins, alkaloids, vitamins C and E, minerals, and resins. There is a lack of information about carbohydrates content ofCyperus esculentusL. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the content of carbohydrates of tiger nut herb and tubers. The qualitative composition and quantitative content of carbohydrates in tubers and herb of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentusL.) were determined by using a GC/MS method. The results of analysis showed that tiger nut herb have free carbohydrates, namely D-saccharose, D-glucose, D-Mannitol, and D-fructose, while tubers have only disaccharide D-saccharose. Free D-saccharose presented in raw materials in the greatest amount, the content in tubers was 63.72 mg/g, in the herb – 9.79 mg/g, respectively. Monosaccharides and their derivatives after hydrolysis presented to D-glucose, D-xylose, D-galactose, D-arabinose in tubers, and D-xylose, D-glucose, D-arabinose, D-galactose, D-Dulcitol, D-Mannitol, D-mannose in the herb of tiger nut. D-glucose dominates in tubers and D-xylose in the herb, their content was 177.26 mg/g and 39.07 mg/g, respectively. The total content of fructans was determined by the spectrophotometric method. Its content was 13.49% in tubers and 8.78% in the herb of tiger nut.