AbstractThe solubilisation of non‐starch polysaccharides from cell wall materials (CWM) of palm‐kernel and sunflower meals was studied using multi‐component polysaccharidase preparations or fractions thereof. In sunflower CWM, the degradability of pectic compounds and mannose‐containing polysaccharides was highest, as estimated from 40 to 70% solubilisation of their constituent monosaccharides arabinose, galactose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose and mannose. Dimers and monomers were produced as major neutral and acidic end‐products. Mannans in palm‐kernel CWM were hydrolysed to about 20–50%, depending on enzyme composition, with the monomer and dimer of mannose as major endproducts. In both materials, xylans, or other xylose‐containing polymers, were most resistant to enzymic hydrolysis. The results indicate the preferential solubilisation of parenchyma tissues from the seed in sunflower meal and the endosperm in palm‐kernel meal, and the resistance of sunflower hull and palm‐kernel endocarp to enzymic attack. The concentrations of notably cellulolytic, mannanolytic and arabinolytic activities clearly determined the extent to which the corresponding constituents were solubilised.