The applicability of Calcofluor White (CWS) and Fluorescent Brightener (CFB) dyes for confocal laser microscopic analysis (CLSM) of various β-glucans in selected dairy products and water
Aleksandra Florczuk, Michał Załęcki, Marek Aljewicz
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the applicability of commonly used dyes (CWS and CFB) to stain different types of β-glucans in water and selected, most popular, dairy products for CLSM imaging analysis. Structurally different pure β-glucan preparations: curdlan-CU, oat β-glucan-OG and scleroglucan-SC were tested. Our study showed for the first time that CWS is a dye with a specific affinity for all analyzed β-glucans, while CFB is suitable for curdlan labeling only. Despite the technological processes, β-glucans structures in dairy products are similar to those in aqueous suspension forms; each of the β-glucans forms a different and characteristic structure, ranging from spindle-shaped and branched till granular. The presented results for the first time systematize the knowledge on CWS and CFB applicability in β-glucan CLSM staining and allow future researchers to correctly analyze simultaneously stained β-glucan, fat, and protein in a complex matrix as dairy products.