Nutritional Potential and Functional Properties of Heat-treated and Germinated Fenugreek Seeds

Abstract

The effects of heat treatment and no heat treatment on the nutritional composition, antinutritive materials and functional properties of fenugreek seeds were studied. The raffinose, stachyose and verbascose were eliminated by germination, and the levels of phytic acid, tannic acid and trypsin inhibitor were reduced by it. However, heat treatment destroyed most of the trypsin inhibitor activity and verbascose and reduced the levels of raffinose, stachyose, phytic acid and tannic acid. Fenugreek seeds were a good source of essential amino acids especially leucine, lyisne, total aromatic amino acids and tryptophan. Heat treatment and germination decreased the sulfur-containing amino acids and tryptophan contents. Both treatments improved the in vitro protein digestibility. Fenugreek seeds were rich in Na, Ca, Cu and Fe. All treatments decreased the level of mineral content with the exception of Na, P and Zn for germination treatment. The major protein fractions in fenugreek seed were albumins (470 g/kg) and globulins (200 g/kg). Fenugreek seeds showed excellent functional properties. Heat treatment improved the water absorption capacity while germination improved the fat absorption capacity. However, both treatments decreased the nitrogen solubility index. Emulsifying activity was not affected by germination, while heat treatment did not affect emulsion stability. Fenugreek seeds could potentially be added to food systems such as bakery and ground meat formulations, not only as a nutrient supplement but also as a functional agent in these formulations.