An alkali-soluble heteroxylan from seeds of Phoenix dactylifera L.

Alkali-soluble polysaccharides, isolated from the seeds of dates, have been investigated using methylation and partial hydrolysis studies. The polysaccharides are shown to contain d-xylose and 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 5:1. An aldobiouronic acid from hemicellulose was characterized, and investigation revealed that the hemicellulose consists of a polymer of (1→4)-linked d-xylopranosyl residues having branches of d-xylopyranosyl and 4-O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid.