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Chemical composition and digestibility (in vitro) of green gram as affected by processing and cooking methods

Antu Grewal (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India)
Sudesh Jood (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 21 March 2009

636

Abstract

Purpose

Digestibility of pulses is affected due to presence of antinutritional and toxic compounds. Various processing treatments are known to destroy heat labile toxic compounds and other enzyme inhibitors, hence, to improve the texture, palatability and nutritive value of pulses. This paper, therefore, aims to focus on improving the digestibility and availability of nutrients of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) through processing treatments.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was undertaken to see the effect of common processing and cooking treatments on newly released green gram cultivars. To achieve this objective, green gram seeds were soaked in plain water (1:4 w/v) for 12 hours at 37°C. One portion of the soaked seeds was dried at 55°C and left‐over soaked seeds were divided into three portions. One portion of the soaked seeds was dehulled manually. The second portion of the soaked seeds was ordinary and pressure‐cooked (water two times the weight of soaked seeds) for 35 minutes at 95‐100°C and at 1.05 kg/cm2 pressure for 15 minutes, respectively. The third portion of the soaked seeds was sprouted for 24 hours at 37°C. All the processed seeds were dried at 55°C in a hot air oven and then ground in a cyclone sample mill and stored for estimation of nutritional parameters using standard methods.

Findings

Soaking and cooking treatments had no significant effect on proximate composition, whereas sugar contents increased and starch contents decreased significantly. Soaking and cooking treatments also improved in vitro starch digestibility significantly. De‐hulling of soaked seeds further improved starch digestibility and also caused significant change in protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and sugar contents. Germination decreased starch, thereby raising the level of the soluble sugars and improved starch digestibility by 49 and 48 percent, respectively, in both cultivars. Similarly, pressure‐cooking also increased starch digestibility by about 44 and 49 percent, respectively, in both cultivars. Cooking may gelatinize starch and germination may mobilize starch, resulting in improved digestibility of starch by α‐amylase.

Practical implications

Evolving high‐yielding crop varieties is one of the most important strategies to fill the gap between demand and supply of food legumes and also to improve the nutritional status of the population consuming such foods. Hence, it is imperative to judge their chemical composition and improve them through inexpensive processing techniques.

Originality/value

The paper gives an overall view of nutritive values of new and traditional varieties of vegetables and will be of value to those who supply the consumer.

Keywords

Citation

Grewal, A. and Jood, S. (2009), "Chemical composition and digestibility (in vitro) of green gram as affected by processing and cooking methods", British Food Journal, Vol. 111 No. 3, pp. 235-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700910941444

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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