Effect of pre and post germination parameters on the chemical characteristics of Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum)

Abstract

In the pre-germination studies, soaking kinetics as affected by different soaking solutions viz. NaOH, NaHCO3, MgCl2 and distilled water as control have been studied whereas, soaking studies were performed using Peleg's constants which depicted the effect in terms of rate and capacity constants. Screening of the soaking solutions was done on the basis of optimal constants, solid loss and retention of ascorbic acid. Water absorption capacity was higher for grains soaked in NaOH, with higher solid loss followed by MgCl2 and NaHCO3. Using solutions having ionic strength of soaking solutions there was more active mass transfer during soaking. Further, in the post-germination studies the effects of germination on the nutritional profile, amino acid profile, nutritional indices and amino acid score was studied comparatively. Germination significantly increased the protein content (19.5 ± 0.16% to 21.63 ± 0.01%); ascorbic acid (2.71 ± 0.54 mg/100 g to 9.16 ± 0.12 mg/100 g); folic acid (168.83 ± 0.54 mcg/100 g to 172.89 ± 0.13 mcg/100 g) and the amino acid profile. Nutritional indices varied from 15.78 to 19.57. Biological values and protein efficiency ratio also increased during germination which was attributed to increase in protein and essential amino acid contents. The leucine to iso-leucine ratio decreased from 1.05 to 0.98 whereas (% EAAI) increased from 80.92 to 90.50% after germination.