[Analysis of polysaccharides used as food additives. VI. Identification of mixtures of polysaccharides by methylation analysis (author's transl)].

Polysaccharide mixtures used as stabilizers having identical sugar units, but differing in their linkages can be identified with confidence by means of methylation analysis. Such mixtures are methylated with sodium hydride and methyl iodide in anhydrous dimethylsulfoxide. The methylated products are acid hydrolyzed and the resulting methyl sugars are separated and identified by thinlayer- or gaschromatography.