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s 29 ( 1996) 263-269
Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.
Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved
PII: SOl44-8617(96)00016-l 0144-8617/96/$15.00+.00
(Received IS November 1994; revised version received 23 October 1995; accepted 23 October 1995)
Polysaccharide extracts were prepared from two traditional food thickeners with
extensive domestic use in central and western parts of Africa: okra (Hibiscus
esculentis L.) and the seed kernel from dika nut (Irvingia gabonensis). Both
demonstrated typical polyelectrolyte behaviour in solution, and were therefore
studied under fixed ionic conditions (0.1 M NaCl), yielding intrinsic viscosities of
[n] = 7.6 dl g- for okra and [q] = 4.4 dl g- for dika. Concentrated solutions gave
mechanical spectra typical of entangled networks, with close Cox-Merz super-
position of n (w) and n(y). The variation of zero-shear specific viscosity with
degree of space-occupancy (c[n]) was also broadly similar to the general form
observed for most disordered polysaccharides, but with greater separation of c*
and c** and steeper slope of log 71,~vs. log c above c* (~4.0 for okra and -4.6 for
dika, in comparison with the usual value of -3.3). As found for normal disor-
dered polysaccharides, the shear-thinning behaviour of dika gum could be
reduced to a single master-curve for all concentrations above c**, but the abso-
lute value of the terminal slope of log (17- Q) vs. log Jowas unusually low (-0.58,
in comparison with the normal value of -0.76). Terminal slopes for okra gum
were also unusually low, and varied systematically with polymer concentration.
These departures from normal solution properties are tentatively ascribed to
compact macromolecular structures, coupled, in the case of okra gum, with a
strong tendency to self-association. Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.
263
264 R. Ndjouenkeu et al.
reconstituted egg-white, as a brightening agent in elec- removed by soxhlet extraction with hexane. The delipi-
trodeposition of metals, as an additive in the formula- dated material was then dried, and ground to a final
tion of flour-based adhesives, as a deflocculant in particle size of 40&500 pm. A crude polysaccharide
production of papers and fabrics, and for reduction of extract was prepared from each powder by the following
friction in pipe-flow. It has also been used in India for procedure.
clarifying sugar-cane juice. Flour (10 g) was mixed with distilled water (250 ml) in
Chemical analyses of okra gum have yielded widely a round-bottomed flask, and heated under reflux in a
differing results (BeMiller et al., 1993) perhaps due to boiling water bath for 1 h. The resulting mixture was
differences in the extraction procedures used. Tomoda then centrifuged (2000 g; 30 min) and the supernatant
et al. (1980) concluded that the major polysaccharide was collected. The residue was extracted with two
component has a linear disaccharide repeating sequence further 250 ml aliquots of distilled water, following the
of: -+4)-cl-GalpA-( l-2)-cc-L-Rhap-( 1+ with disacchar- same procedure. The final residue was discarded, and
ide sidechains of: ,&Galp-( l--+4)-Galp-( 1--+ attached to the supernatant fractions were combined, filtered
O(4) of half the L-rhamnosyl residues. Subsequent work through fine-mesh nylon, and concentrated to about a
by Bhat and Tharanathan (1986, 1987) however, quarter of their initial volume on a rotary evaporator.
suggested a more complex composition that could be The crude polysaccharide was then precipitated with
separated into fractions differing widely in the molar 85% ethanol (4 x volume), redissolved in deionised
ratios of galactose, galacturonic acid and rhamnose, water, and purified as follows.
and with some fractions containing substantial propor- Proteins were removed by digestion (1 h at 55C
tions of other sugars (glucose, mannose, arabinose and under stirring) with papain (BDH; 2 g), precipitation
xylose). There have also been reports of a high mineral with 10% trichloroacetic acid, and centrifugation. The
content (-11.9% ash from proximate analysis; Kelkar resulting supernatant was decolourised by stirring over-
et al., 1962), and of an appreciable protein component night with Amberlite A-27 strong base (type I) anion
(-10%; Woolfe et al., 1977; Tomoda et al., 1980), exchange resin (BDH), dialysed against six changes of
although it remains to be established whether or not the deionised water, and freeze-dried.
protein is covalently linked to the polysaccharide. Concentrated stock solutions of the polysaccharide
In contrast to okra gum, which has received some extracts were prepared by magnetic stirring overnight at
scientific attention, albeit limited, dika gum has not ambient temperature in 0.1 M NaCl, with 0.04% sodium
been studied at all. The plant from which it is derived, azide as preservative, and were dialysed to equilibrium
Irvingia gabonensis, is also known as bush mango, against the same salt solution. The dialysate was then
although it is not related botanically to the true mango used for all subsequent dilutions to lower concentra-
(Mangifera indica L.). The tree occurs widely in the tions. A few comparative measurements were also made
humid forests of Central and West Africa, and can using solutions prepared with deionised water.
reach a height of 35 m (Thaikul, 1983). The fruit is Dilute-solution viscosity was measured on a Contra-
oblong, with diameter 4-7 cm, and has a strong, bulky ves Low Shear 30 rotational viscometer, using cup-and-
core surrounded by edible, fibrous flesh. The core bob geometry with inner and outer radii of 5.5 and 6.0
comprises two almond-like seeds, which are also edible. mm, respectively. Viscosity measurements at higher
The maturation and harvesting period runs from April concentrations were made on a Sangamo Viscoelastic
to July or September, according to region. Before Analyser, with cone-and-plate geometry of cone-angle
consumption, the core is dried, dehulled, and ground; it 2 and diameter 5 cm. Oscillatory measurements were
is then used to thicken and flavour soups and stews. made using cone-and-plate geometry (cone-angle 0.05
Preliminary chemical analysis of dika gum is in rad; diameter 5 cm) on a sensitive prototype rheometer
progress, and will be reported elsewhere. The present designed and constructed by Dr R. K. Richardson
investigation is confined to characterisation of the (Silsoe College). In all cases, temperature was controlled
rheological properties of the polysaccharide constituent, to 25f0.5C using a Haake circulating water bath, and
in comparison with those of okra gum and of commer- monitored by a thermocouple in contact with the
cial hydrocolloids. stationary element.
Okra pods and dika kernels were purchased locally-in Figure 1 shows flow curves (variation of viscosity, n,
Cameroon (Ngaoundere market). Okra seeds (which with shear-rate, i) for a few moderate concentrations of
have a high lipid content) were removed, and the each of the two polysaccharide extracts, in water and in
remaining pods (or skin) were milled to a particle size of 0.1 M NaCl. As would be expected from the known
400-500 pm. The dika kernels were milled using a presence of a substantial proportion of charged (galac-
domestic coffee-grinder (Moulinex), and oil was turonate) residues in okra gum, its viscosity in salt
Rheology of okra and dika nut polysaccharides 265
WATER SALT
2s I I
_g 0.0
t
-0.5 I
2.5 ,
1
s 2.0 -
2 1.5 - d _
2 1.0 - w-
z;- 0.5 - A -
E 0.0 -
-0.5 I
0.5 I.0 I.5 2.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
log(j/s-) log(j/s-1)
Fig. 1. Shear-rate dependence of viscosity (25X) for (a) okra gum and (b) dika gum at concentrations (% w/v) of 0.96 (a),
0.67 (m), 0.48 (O), 0.19 (0) and 0.096 (A) m water (left) and in 0. I M NaCl (right).
shown in Fig. 2. Both polymers give the response char- 0 (rad s-1) i (s-l)
acteristic of entangled coils (see for example Ross-
Murphy, 1984). At low frequency, where there is suffi- Fig. 2. Frequency-dependence of G (x), G (+) and I* (*)
and shear-rate dependence of viscosity (A) for (a) okra gum
cient time for substantial disentanglement to occur (3.36% w/v) and (b) dika gum (4.07% w/v). Both solutions
within the period of oscillation, the predominant were prepared in 0.1 M NaCl and measured at 25C. The
response to the imposed deformation is dissipative flow oscillatory measurements were made at 2% strain.
266 R. Ndjouenkeu et al.
(characterised by the loss modulus, G), but at higher mise the root-mean-square difference between observed
frequencies elastic deformation of the entangled and calculated values of log (7 - 77,).At low concentra-
network becomes progressively more significant, with tions (below the range shown in Fig. 1) the flow curves
consequent increase in the storage modulus, G. were essentially Newtonian, giving no directly.
Both materials also follow the behaviour of disor-
dered polymer coils in showing close Cox-Merz super- Concentration-dependence of viscosity
position (Cox and Merz, 1958; Ross-Murphy, 1984) of
steady-shear viscosity (7) and complex dynamic viscos- Figure 4 shows the concentration-dependence of n, for
ity (n* = (G* + G*)*/u) at equivalent values of shear- both polymers, plotted in conventional double-loga-
rate (i/s-) and frequency (w/rad s-l). Similar results rithmic form with n, expressed as specific viscosity
were obtained at lower concentrations. (nsP= (no - ns)/ns). The measured viscosities for the four
Flow curves recorded at polymer concentrations lowest concentrations of each material were used to
above the range shown in Fig. 1 are presented in Fig. 3a derive intrinsic viscosity, [n], by combined Huggins,
(for okra) and Fig. 3b (for dika). In all cases the shear- Kraemer and single-point extrapolation to infinite
rate dependence of viscosity could be fitted, to ivithin dilution (see Morris, 1984). In both cases the Huggins
the experimental error of the measurements, by the plot of Q,,/c (where c is concentration), Kraemer plot of
relationship: ln(n,,,)/c (where rjrel is the relative viscosity, rl/nJ and
single-point plot of [2(nsP - In nre,)]*/c are acceptably
linear, and show satisfactory convergence at c=O
where n, is the viscosity of the solvent, no is the maxi- (Fig. 5) yielding [q] =4.4 dl g- for dika and [n] = 7.6
mum Newtonian viscosity at low shear-rate, j1,2 is the dl g- for okra.
shear-rate required to reduce (7 - r],) to (no - ns)/2 and Intrinsic viscosity provides a convenient measure of
p corresponds to the absolute value of the terminal the hydrodynamic volume of individual polymer coils,
slope of log (7 - Q) vs. log Joat high shear-rate (Morris, and when multiplied by concentration gives an index of
1990). The best-fitting values of no, j,,* and p were the total degree of space-occupancy. Double-logarith-
obtained by using a simple computer program to mini- mic plots of n,r vs. c[n] for most disordered poly-
saccharides superimpose closely (Morris et al., 1981)
and fall into two linear regions with a change of slope
10 j
1
from -1.4 to -3.3 at c[+4 and ~~~10. As shown in
2
Fig. 6, the results obtained for the polysaccharide
;\Aa
extracts from dika kernels and okra comply reasonably
well with this generalisation, giving slopes of -1.4 and
1.0
-3.7 and a break at c[+3.5 and n+lO. There is,
9 (Pa s) however, obvious curvature around the breakpoint,
and significant divergence of values for the two poly-
10
1
;\ab
1.0
rl (Pa s)
O.
0.01 + ..,. ,.,.., ..d
Pb-9
Fig. 3. Experimental flow curves (25C; 0.1 M NaCI) for (a)
okra gum at concentrations of 3.63, 3.15,2.80, 2.58,2.26,2.02,
1.69, 1.48, 1.14, 1.01, 0.91 and 0.68% w/v and (b) dika gum at
concentrations of 4.07, 3.80, 3.39, 3.12, 2.71, 2.44, 2.03, 1.77, Fig. 4. Concentration-dependence of zero shear specific
1.37, 1.22, 1.08 and 0.82% w/v. viscosity (25C) for okra gum (m) and dika gum (0).
Rheology of okra and dika nut polysaccharides 267
Shear-thinning behaviour
-OS-
?A
F
Y
-s
2 -l.O-
r
I
.
0.34
-0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 6
1.0 20 3.0 1
Iog(em w/v)
0.0
ial levan, which has a densely-packed branched struc-
ture. The similar (though less extreme) behaviour of
dika gum, coupled with its rather low intrinsic viscosity
_ -0.5
([7+4.4 dl g- in 0.1 M NaCl), would therefore be
2
0 consistent with it too having compact molecular
z geometry.
f -1.0
Dika gum is also unusual in its shear-thinning beha-
F
z viour. The shear-rate dependence of viscosity for
I conformationally-disordered linear polysaccharides
-1.5
with a wide distribution of chainlength (as in normal
commercial materials) appears to have a general form
-2.0
that is independent of molecular weight and concentra-
-0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 tion (above c**), and which can be matched accurately
w?e%) by eqn (1) using a constant value of p==O.76 (Morris,
1990). The variation of viscosity with shear-rate for dika
Fig. 8. Shear-thinning curves (25C; Fig. 3a) for okra gum at
concentrations (% w/v in 0.1 M NaCI) of 3.36 (x), 2.02 (+) gum is also independent of concentration above c**, but
and 1.15 (*), re-scaled as in Fig. 7. the value of p required to fit the experimental data is
substantially lower (-0.58). Closely similar behaviour
(~1~0.56) has been reported recently for methylcellulose
DISCUSSION (Haque and Morris, 1993) and hydroxypropyl-
methylcellulose (Haque et al., 1993), both of which
As illustrated in Fig. 2, solutions of okra and dika gums appear, from other evidence, to exist in solution as
resemble those of other polysaccharides in showing compact aggregates (whose partial dissociation is a
normal solution-like mechanical spectra and close Cox- necessary precursor to thermal gelation at higher
Merz superposition of v(j) and q*(w). The dependence temperatures), again suggesting that. dika gum has a
of zero-shear specific viscosity on degree of space- compact macromolecular structure rather than an
occupancy (c[Q]) is also broadly similar to the behaviour expanded random coil conformation.
typical of disordered polysaccharide coils (Morris et al., Shear-thinning of okra gum is particularly unusual
1981), but the separation of C* and c** for both materi- The value of p required to match experimental flow
als is unusually pronounced (Fig. 4), and the slope of curves is no longer constant, but varies widely with
log qsP vs. log c at high concentrations is substantially concentration (Fig. 9), showing a minimum (p~O.43) at
steeper (Table 1) than the normal value of -3.3. Both -1.3% w/v and increasing steeply at higher and lower
effects are particularly evident for dika gum. Wide concentrations. A possible explanation is that the poly-
separation of c* and c** (Table 1) and extremely steep saccharide has a strong tendency to self-association,
concentration-dependence of viscosity above c** have with the extent of aggregation increasing with increasing
been reported recently (Kasapis et al., 1994) for bacter- concentration. The initial effect of intermolecular asso-
Rheology of okra and dika nut polysaccharides 269
ciation is to form compact bundles with, as proposed Solution properties of levan polysaccharide from Pseudo-
monas syringue pv. phuseolicolu, and its possible primary
for dika gum and commercial methylcelluloses, an
role as a blocker of recognition during pathenogenesis.
accompanying reduction in p. At higher concentrations, Curbohydr. Polym.. 23, 55-64.
the bundles associate further into larger assemblies Kelkar, G. M., Ingle, T. R. & Bhide, B. V. (1962). Mucilage
with greater overall flexibility and consequent increase from the fruits Bhendi. J. Indian Chem. Sot., 39, 557-558.
in p towards the value of 0.76 found for disordered Launay, B., Cuvelier, G. and Martinez-Reyes, S. (1984).
Xanthan gum in various solvent conditions: intrinsic
coils. Although highly speculative, this interpretation is
viscosity and flow properties. In Gums and Stubilisers
consistent with electron-microscopy evidence of large, ,for the Food Industry 2. eds G. 0. Phillips. D. J.
branched aggregates (> 4 pm) in dispersions of okra Wedlock and P.A. Williams. Pergamon Press, Oxford,
gum (see BeMiller et al., 1993). pp. 79-98.
Milas, M., Rinaudo, M., Knipper, M. & Schuppise, J. L.
(1990). Flow and viscoelastic properties of xanthan gum
solutions. Macromolecules, 23, 2506-25 I 1.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Morris, E. R. (1984). Rheology of hydrocolloids. In Gums and
Stubilisers,for the Food Industry 2, eds G. 0. Phillips, D. J.
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support Wedlock and P. A. Williams. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp.
57-78.
from the British Council (Fellowship to RN) and
Morris, E. R. (1990). Shear-thinning of random coil
CONACYT, Mexico (Studentship to FMG), and also polysaccharides: characterisation by two parameters from
thank Dr R.K. Richardson for generous access to his a simple linear plot. Curbohydr. Polym., 13, 85-96.
prototype rheometer. Morris, E. R., Cutler, A. N., Ross-Murphy, S. B., Rees, D. A.
& Price, J. (1981). Concentration and shear rate dependence
of viscosity in random coil polysaccharide solutions.
Curbohydr. Polym., I, 5-21.
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