EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENT ON α-GALACTOSIDE CONTENT OF RED GRAM SEEDS (CAJANUS CAJAN, L)

Abstract

The effect of simple processing methods such as autoclaving or soaking followed by cooking, hot soaking and boiling followed by soaking treatment on the levels of raffinose family of sugars in red gram (Cajanus cajan, L) seeds was determined. The percent removal of raffinose, stachyose and verbascose after autoclaving of red gram seeds for 30 min were 42.70, 48.43 and 47.48 respectively. In the soaking followed by cooking procedure of red gram seeds, there was a mean decrease of 56.37% for raffinose, 55.35% for stachyose and 59.03% for verbascose. The hot soaking procedure of red gram seeds resulted in a mean decrease of 78.12% for raffinose, 76.05% for stachyose and 77.23% for verbascose respectively. Lastly, the effect of boiling for 10 min followed by soaking of red gram seeds for 16 h led to a mean decrease of 92% for raffinose, 80% for stachyose and 87% for verbascose respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Traditional methods like autoclaving, soaking followed by cooking, hot soaking and boiling followed by soaking treatment are employed to reduce the flatulence-inducing raffinose family sugars in legume. Autoclaving for 30 min and soaking followed by cooking for 60 min of legume seeds have been found to reduce the raffinose family sugars. Whereas hot soaking and boiling, followed by soaking of red gram seeds will significantly reduce the raffinose family of sugars. This treatment resulted in the maximum reduction of flatus-inducing factors. This information could further stimulate application of these inexpensive and easy methods for the removal of raffinose family of sugars in different varieties of legume seeds.