Quantitative Characterization of Nonstructural Carbohydrates of Mezcal Agave (Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dick)

Abstract

Fructans are the reserve carbohydrates in Agave spp. plants. In mezcal factories, fructans undergoes thermal hydrolysis to release fructose and glucose, which are the basis to produce this spirit. Carbohydrate content determines the yield of the final product, which depends on plant organ, ripeness stage, and thermal hydrolysis. Thus, a qualitative and quantitative characterization of nonstructural carbohydrates was conducted in raw and hydrolyzed juices extracted from Agave salmiana stems and leaves under three ripeness stages. By high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fructose, glucose, sucrose, xylose, and maltose were identified in agave juice. Only the plant fraction with hydrolysis interaction was found to be significant in the glucose concentration plant. Interactions of the fraction with hydrolysis and ripeness with hydrolysis were statistically significant in fructose concentration. Fructose concentration rose considerably with hydrolysis, but only in juice extracted from ripe agave stems (early mature and castrated). This increase was statistically significant only with acid hydrolysis.

Effect of Agave americana and Agave salmiana Ripeness on Saponin Content from Aguamiel (Agave Sap)

“…16 Most of the recent research on the agave stem and sap has been focused on fructan analysis. 11,13,15,17,18 A previous study reported that aguamiel from A. mapisaga contained 11.5% of dry matter, mainly composed of sugars (75%; among them, 10% fructans. 15 Agave has also been studied with regard to its health properties as a food or plant extract related to certain secondary metabolites.…”

“…When the agave enters the reproductive stage, its shoot apex is thinned, displaying black, shiny spines. 11 Agaves were prepared following the traditional process to collect the aguamiel. 14 Aguamiel was collected during the month of May 2013.…”

Extracción y caracterización de fructanos de Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck

“…This is due to the fact that with most fructans and dry matter content are found in the stem (Aguirre et al, 2001;Michel-Cuello et al, 2008), and when processing the entire head a dilution effect happens with the highest humidity of the stalk bases. The tertiary juice presented between 5.4 and 7.2 °Bx which mainly corresponds to remaining fructans, recovered with the washing and pressing of the bagasse.…”

“…It is fundamental to acknowledge the vegetative to reproductive change, known as quiotillo stage in the highlands of San Luis Potosí, for the rational use of the maguey (Aguirre et al, 2001). Another very important factor for the quality of the fructans is if the entire head of the maguey is used (comprised by the stem and the bases of the leaves) as raw material, instead of only the stem, the organ of the plant where the reserve substances are accumulated (Michel-Cuello, Juárez-Flores, Aguirre-Rivera, & Pinos-Rodríguez, 2008). When the entire head is processed as has been the appropriate procedure for other purposes, it requires more complex and expensive operations to eliminate other existing compounds at the base of the leaves.…”

“…Así, para el aprovechamiento racional del maguey es fundamental reconocer el cambio de estado vegetativo a reproductor, a lo cual se le denomina maguey quiotillo en el altiplano potosino (Aguirre et al, 2001). Otro factor muy importante para la calidad de los fructanos es si se utiliza la cabeza entera o piña del maguey (conformada por el tallo y las bases de las pencas) como materia prima, en vez de solamente el tallo, órgano de la planta donde se acumulan las sustancias de reserva (Michel-Cuello, Juárez-Flores, Aguirre-Rivera, & Pinos-Rodríguez, 2008). Al procesarse la cabeza entera, como ha sido lo adecuado para otros propósitos, se requieren operaciones más complejas y costosas para eliminar otros compuestos existentes en la base de la pencas.…”