FERULIC ACID IN BARLEY CELL WALLS: A FLUORESCENCE STUDY

Abstract

Cell walls isolated from barley endosperm have been examined using ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy in parallel with microspectrofluorimetry. The endosperm cell wall fragments exhibit a pale blue autofluorescence. The fluorescence emission spectrum of the walls closely corresponds to the spectrum of ferulic acid, having an emission maximum at a wavelength of 445 nm under the conditions used (excitation maximum at 365 nm). The results provide further evidence that ferulic acid‐carbohydrate complexes are localized in barley endosperm cell walls. Similar complexes may be present in aleurone cell walls in relatively high concentrations. 1976 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling