Effects of blanching and soaking on some physical characteristics of grass pea (<i>Lathyrus sativus</i>)

Abstract

Lathyrus sativus , containing a lathyritic principle, called β-ODAP (β-N-Oxalyl-L- α, β-diaminopropionic acid), is widely grown and consumed in Ethiopia. It is a hardy crop grown under various agro-ecological situations. The major drawback in the use of the legume is the fact that the seeds, in common with other legumes, are not easily rehydrated, are difficult to cook, the seed coat is difficult to remove and long cooking time is required by traditional processing methods for tenderization. In this study, the effect of processing methods like blanching, soaking and cooking on water absorption, leached solids, swelling power, cooking time and sensory qualities of grass pea seeds were investigated. The soaking solutions used were mixed with salt solution, wood ash solution and double distilled de-ionized water. Blanching significantly (p Keywords : blanching, cooking, Lathyrus sativus , soaking African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Vol. 6(1) 2006