Towards an accurate measurement of dietary fibre

A method of acid and neutral detergent extraction of food has been used to measure the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content of a number of New Zealand foods. Foods can be classified as those high or relatively high in hemicellulose and those high or relatively high in cellulose and lignin. The accurate determination of this fibre content is of importance in understanding the physical, chemical and bacteriological effects of various fibre components in preventing or causing disease.