FLATULENCE IN RATS FOLLOWING INGESTION OF COOKED AND GERMINATED BLACK GRAM AND A FERMENTED PRODUCT OF BLACK GRAM AND RICE BLEND

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe extent of hydrogen production by cooked black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.) seeds and cotyledons, germinated black gram seeds (24 hr), and a black gram and rice (Oryza sativa L.) fermented steamed product (Idli) was investigated with rat bioassay method. Whole black gram seeds had 3.4% verbascose, 0.9% stachyose, traces of raffinose, and 1.5% sucrose, while black gram cotyledons contained 4.0% verbascose, 0.7% stachyose, traces of raftinose, and 1.5% sucrose on dry weight basis. Maximum hydrogen production was obtained with 60% cooked black gram cotyledons in the diet. Germinated black gram seeds and fermented steamed product significantly produced lower flatus than the cooked black gram products. A positive significant correlation (r = 0.90) was found between oligosaccharides of the raffinose family of sugars of black gram and hydrogen production by rats.