Cereal Chem 56:437 - 440.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Determination of Neutral Detergent Fiber, Hemicellulose, Cellulose, and Lignin in Breads.

R. Mongeau and R. Brassard. Copyright 1979 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Forty-four different kinds of breads were analyzed with the neutral detergent method of Van Soest. The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was treated with the alpha-amylase from Bacillus subtilis to ensure complete starch digestion. Hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose were estimated by further extraction with acid detergent, permanganate, and 72% sulfuric acid. Results were expressed as percent of the dry weight. The dry weight accounted for 60-65% of the fresh weight but was about 10% higher in raisin bread. The NDF content was approximately 1% in white bread, 4.6% in 60% whole wheat bread, and 7.2% in 100% whole wheat bread. NDF in almost all other breads ranged from 1 to 4%, with a mean of 2%. In general, the amount in each fraction was proportional to the total NDF: 65% insoluble hemicellulose, about 25% cellulose, and the remaining part mostly lignin. The NDF content of the breads suggest that the replacement of white bread by breads of higher fiber content would be a practical way to gradually increase the intake of dietary fiber.