Abstract:The extraction technology of water–soluble polysaccharides in fresh taro was investigated in this paper. Using simulated conditions of human digestion in vitro, its fat-binding, cholesterol-binding and bile salts-binding capacities were studied in order to evaluate its potential hypocholesterolemic activity in vitro. The results showed that the highest extraction efficiency of taro polysaccharide could be obtain under the conditon of using solid-liquid ratio at 1∶6, reacting at 80 ℃ for 6 h with 85% ethanol, and the extraction ratio reaches (4.92±0.18)%. Taro water–soluble polysaccharides exhibited much higher binding capacities of both fat and bile acid, while much lower one of cholesterol, compared to cellulose. The above results revealed that taro water–soluble polysaccharides could potentially alleviate the hyperlipidemia.