A study on the flatus potential of dietary fibre from some legumes

The in-vitro flatus causing tendancy of soluble and insoluble fibre fractions from four legumes, namely, blackgram, greengram, soybean and wingedbean by Clostridium perfringens was investigated. The gas production from the soluble fibre fraction of blackgram, soybean and wingedbean was relatively high and was similar to that from raffinose, whereas gas production from ·the soluble fibre fraction of greengram was low. The insoluble fibre fractions of all four legumes were found to have little or no flatus activity. Gas chromatographic analysis of the flatus gases revealed H₂ and CO₂ to be the predominent components of gas production.