Identification of plant polysaccharides by MALDI-TOF MS fingerprinting after periodate oxidation and thermal hydrolysis

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis of the oligosaccharides released showed that each polysaccharide had a unique oligosaccharides profile, even the same type of polysaccharide derived from different sources and/or having different fine structures (e.g. class of (arabino)xylans, galactomannans, glucans, or pectic materials).