Abstract
Soybean sprouts are among the healthiest foods consumed in most Asian countries. Their nutritional content, especially bioactive compounds, may change according to the conditions of germination. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of chitooligosaccharide with different molecular weight and dosage on nutritional quality and enzymatic and antioxidant activities of soybean sprouts. The chitooligosaccharide elicitor strongly stimulated the accumulation of vitamin C, total phenolics, and total flavonoid. The stimulation effect was correlated with the molecular weight and concentration of chitooligosaccharide. With treatment of 0.01% of 1 kDa chitooligosaccharide, the nine phenolic constituents and six isoflavone compounds were significantly increased. The antioxidant capacity (DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity) and antioxidase activities (catalase and peroxidase) of soybean sprouts were also enhanced after treatment with chitooligosaccharide. The degree of chitooligosaccharide-induced elicitor activity increased as the molecular weight of chitooligosaccharide decreased. These results suggest that soaking soybean seeds in a solution of chitooligosaccharide, especially in 0.01% of 1 kDa chitooligosaccharide, may effectively improve the nutritional value and physiological function of soybean sprouts.
Highlights
As a major source of protein, soybean has been one of the most important crops in China since more than five thousand years and nowadays often appears in Western diets [1]
The results show that chitooligosaccharide could increase the concentration of bioactive compounds including vitamin C, phenolics, and isoflavones
Because humans are unable to synthesize vitamin C, fresh fruit and vegetables are needed as chitooligosaccharide
Summary
As a major source of protein, soybean has been one of the most important crops in China since more than five thousand years and nowadays often appears in Western diets [1]. Soybean has high nutritional value and is recognized as a functional food that both promotes health and has therapeutic effects [2]. Soybean is believed to have antioxidant activity, due to its high amount of total phenolics, that may help neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce the risk of degenerative diseases [4]. Germination technology, which is an inexpensive and effective method, was applied to improve the taste and enhance the nutritional value of soybean [5]. The sprouts of soybeans have been shown to be effective as an anti-hypertensive diet [8]. Germination can reduce or remove anti-nutritional factors in soybean, such as a-galactoside, trypsin inhibitor, phytic acid, lectin, and lipase inhibitor [9]. Germination technology expands the application of soybean in food processing and improves its utilization value
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