En la industria de los fructanos actualmente s´olo se utilizan las cabezas completas (tallo y bases foliares) de magueyes heterog´eneos en madurez. Esta madurez fisiolo´gica variable y los compuestos presentes en las bases foliares (ceras, saponinas, clorofila y monosac´aridos) repercuten sobre la composici´on, calidad y homogeneidad del producto. Por medio de HPTLC, HPLC y HPLC-SEC, se caracterizo´ y estimo´ la distribucio´n del perfil de carbohidratos y el grado de polimerizaci´on (GP) de los fructanos de tallos de Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck (ASE) y A. tequilana F.A.C. Weber (ATE) con madurez fisiol´ogica ´optima (MFO) y se contrastaron con fructanos comerciales de A. tequilana (ATC) y de achicoria (IC). El GP promedio fue de 14.46, 16.20, 18.25 y 21.11 para IC, ASE, ATC y ATE, respectivamente. Se registro´ una proporcio´n de fructanos con GP>10 de 73.20 y 83.74% en ASE y ATE, respectivamente. Respecto a la proporcio´n de fructooligosaca´ridos (GP 3-10), se obtuvieron 26.10 y 14.20% en ASE y ATE, respectivamente, menores que los de IC. ASE y ATE presentaron una menor proporcio´n de monosac´aridos que ATC y que IC. La eleccio´n de magueyes en MFO, el uso exclusivo de sus tallos y la extraccio´n orga´nica, permiten la cosecha (cultivada) o recoleccio´n (silvestre) de materia prima estandarizada, para la produccio´n de fructanos con la mayor concentraci´on y calidad, y con GP homog´eneo, reproducible y propio de cada especie. Se confirm´o que el GP para Agave salmiana es 16 y se presenta por primera vez un GP de 21 para A. tequilana.
In the fructan industry, currently only the complete heads (stem and leaf bases) of heterogeneous magueyes in maturity are used. This variable physiological maturity and the compounds present in the foliar bases (waxes, saponins, chlorophyll and monosaccharides) affect the composition, quality and homogeneity of the product. Through HPTLC, HPLC and HPLC-SEC, were characterized and estimated the distribution of the carbohydrate profile and the degree of polymerization (DP) of the fructans from stems of Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck (ASE) and A. tequilana F.A.C. Weber (ATE) with optimal physiological maturity (OPM) and were contrasted with commercial fructans of A. tequilana (ATC) and chicory (IC). The average DP was 14.46, 16.20, 18.25 and 21.11 for IC, ASE, ATC and ATE, respectively. A proportion of fructans with DP> 10 of 73.20 and 83.74% was recorded in ASE and ATE, respectively. Regarding the proportion of fructooligosaccharides (DP 3-10), 26.10 and 14.20% were obtained in ASE and ATE, respectively, lower than those of IC. ASE and ATE had a lower proportion of monosaccharides than ATC and IC. The choice of magueyes in OPM, the exclusive use of its stems and organic extraction, allow the harvest (cultivated) or collection (wild) of standardized raw material, for the production of fructans with the highest concentration and quality, and with homogeneous DP, reproducible and characteristic of each species. The DP for Agave salmiana was confirmed to be 16 and a DP of 21 is presented for the first time for A. tequilana. The choice of magueys in OPM and the exclusive use of their stems, allow the harvest (cultivated) or collection (wild) of standardized raw material, for the extraction of fructans with the highest concentration and quality, and a homogeneous, reproducible and own DP of each species. The DP for Agave salmiana was confirmed to be 16 and a DP of 21 is presented for the first time for A. tequilana.