Question

Inulin occurs in the root of
(a)Mango
(b)Dahlia
(c)Wheat
(d)Sugarcane

Answer 1

Hint: Inulin is a polysaccharide which forms a storage material if it occurs in the root. Some families of plants show the presence of bulky roots or other bulky plant parts in order to store food or some other function.

Complete answer:
 - Inulin is a polysaccharide that is found in the roots and rhizomes of plants as a storage material.
- It is a storage carbohydrate that belongs to many plants of the Asteraceae or Compositae family. It is present mainly in the roots and tuber. Examples include dahlia and Jerusalem artichoke.
- It is used to form a powder that can be as sweet as sucrose. It is not present naturally in the human body but is safe for human consumption due to its inert nature. It passes through the digestive system easily. Hence, it is used as a sweetener by diabetic patients.
- Inulin is also found in wheat, onions, chicory, banana, and garlic.

Additional Information:
- Inulin is a fructan, which is a type of polymer containing mainly fructose subunits and dietary fiber.
- It is also used as the ideal way to estimate the glomerular filtration rate while testing kidney function in human beings.
- It is also a commercial source of fructose sugar.

So, the correct answer is ‘Dahlia’.

Note: - Asteraceae is also known as the Daisy family.
- Inulin is most commonly extracted from chicory plants on an industrial scale.
- Most plants that synthesize inulin and store it does not store any forms of carbohydrate such as starch.
- It has also been shown that apart from sugar, plants containing high inulin can be used to produce ethanol.