Abstract
The two oligosaccharides previously reported as unknown in the free-sugar fraction of tea leaves and seeds were investigated.
One (b-sugar) was orcin reaction positive, and its RF value of paper chromatogram, when developed with n-butanol-acetic acid-water (4:1:1), was similar to that of raffinose but with n-butanol-pyridine-water (3:2:1.5), the RF value was definitely smaller. Its hydrolyzate developed three spots of galactose, glucose and fructose on the chromatogram, but the amount of galactose was larger than that of raffinose.
The other sugar (a-sugar) was also orcin reaction positive, and gave similar RF value to that of stachyose in two developing solvents while the hydrolyzate showed four spots of galactose, glucose, fructose and xylose.
