High purity 32-α-L-Arabinofuranosyl-xylobiose for or use in research, biochemical enzyme assays and in vitro diagnostic analysis. It can be used as an analytical standard or as a substrate to help characterise the activities of arabinoxylan degrading enzymes including endo-xylanase, β-xylosidase and α-L-arabinofuranosidase. This compound was prepared by the controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat arabinoxylan.