Cereal Chem 52:125 - 137.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Carbohydrate Composition of Horse Beans (Vicia faba) of Different Origins.

J. Cerning, A. Saposnik, and A. Guilbot. Copyright 1975 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

A series of 16 horse bean samples (Vicia faba) from various geographical origins (Europe, North Africa, Asia) were grown in different areas of France. Analysis for their starch, furfural generators, and sugar content showed noticeable variations in carbohydrate composition. The samples had a total carbohydrate content of 51 to 66%, starch ranged from 30 to 42.3% and was inversely related to protein content. The total furfural generator content of most of the samples was in the range of 5 to 5.7%, the average value for ethanol-soluble sugars was 5.7%. Thin-layer and column chromatography of the ethanol-soluble sugars showed the presence of varying amounts of verbascose, stachyose, raffinose, sucrose, and, in some cases, traces of glucose and fructose. Quantitative analysis reveals an average of 25% sucrose in the total sugars, the major part of which is composed of alpha-galactosides. Separate analysis of the cotyledons (including the germ) and hulls showed that the latter contain 78.9% total carbohydrates, most of which were structural polysaccharides. The composition of the cell wall constituents was examined after acid hydrolysis. The monosaccharides resulting after acid hydrolysis of hemicelluloses were essentially xylose, smaller amounts of arabinose, and traces of galactose and rhamnose. Most of the furfural generators appeared to be either water-soluble or soluble in dilute acid. Small amounts of glucose-containing polymers soluble in dilute acid (0.5%) are present in the cotyledons, but increase to 3.6% in the hulls.