Size-exclusion chromatographic determination of beta-glucan with postcolumn reaction detection.

Using the specific interaction of beta-glucan with calcofluor dye as a detection method for size-exclusion chromatographic analysis, very simple direct extractions can be used for sample preparation. Either fluorescence or UV detection is employed. The calibration graphs are linear between 200 and 20 mg/l, although much more sensitive analyses are possible. The response remained independent of relative molecular mass in the range studied (1.7 x 10(6)-1.85 x 10(5)). Results for barley and malt show good correlation with those obtained by flow-injection analysis using calcofluor.