Carbohydrate composition of the millet Varagu.

The carbohydrate and lipid composition of varagu millet has been
determined. Starch was the major carbohydrate constituent ( - 72%)
of the polished millet. Aqueous alcohol extraction of the millet
furnished fructose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose and an
unidentified component. Alkali extraction of the starch-free residue
gave hemicelluloses A and B. Hemicellulose A contained glucose with
small amounts of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose and mannose;
whereas hemicellulose B was composed ofglucoseand galactose. The
alkali-insoluble residue represented cellulose or fibre component as it
was exclusively composed of glucose. Linoleic acid was the major
fatty acid constituent of the free lipids, and palmitic acid was the
major fatty acid of the bound lipids.