ABSTRACT
Information about the composition and organization of plant cell walls is fundamental for our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cell-wall polysaccharides that are of technological and nutritional importance. In this chapter, some aspects of the plant cell wall are presented, as well as important procedures for the extraction, purication, and structural elucidation of cellwall polysaccharides. Major polysaccharide structures in cereals, fruits, and vegetables are also presented, but hydrocolloids, especially from legumes and algae, are discussed in Chapter 6 of this book. In the nal section of this chapter, various analytical methods for plant carbohydrates and dietary ber are presented and discussed.
