The AOAC 992.16 standard, developed by the Official Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC), defines an enzymatic - gravimetric method for determining the total amount of dietary fiber in foods and food products.
Two general types of methods have been developed to isolate and analyze dietary fiber: the enzymatic-gravimetric method and the enzymatic-chemical method. Isolated food components vary according to the method used. Both enzymatic-gravimetric and enzymatic-chemical methods have undergone a number of modifications and improvements, most of which have occurred in the last 20 years.
The enzymatic-gravimetric approach attempts to reflect material entering the large intestine by removing starch, protein and fat and obtaining a residue that is then dried and weighed. A correction is made for remaining protein and ash and the result is expressed as a ratio of starting material.
The enzymatic-chemical approach chemically characterizes the carbohydrate content of the fiber after removal of the available carbohydrates (monosaccharides, disaccharides, and starch) and fat. A number of different procedures have been developed to enable the measurement of carbohydrates as constituent monosaccharides or groups of monosaccharide species.
The gravimetric approach started with the measurement of crude fiber. This first method consists of treating the plant material with acid and alkali to form a residue. This method has become well established in recent years and has been adopted by the Official Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) as a method for measuring fiber in animal feed. In the 1970s, the crude fiber method was used to determine the fiber content. In addition to the animal feed industry, this method continues to be used in many parts of the world. However, its use is severely limited by the loss of all soluble polysaccharides, some insoluble polysaccharides and some lignin, and the incorporation of some nitrogenous material into the remaining residue.
Today, there are two ways to obtain soluble fiber: by direct analysis and by subtracting insoluble fiber from the total fiber.
Our organization also provides testing services for total dietary fiber in foods and food products, within the scope of the AOAC 996.16 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.
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