Relationship Between Phytic Acid and Cooking Quality in Lentil

Abstract

Thirty six samples of Laird and Eston lentils grown in a three year cooperative test, on farmer's fields, and in a hydroponic experiment were used to determine shear force (cooking quality), seed phosphorus (P), phytic acid (PA, % by weight and PA-P, PA % of P) and inorganic-P. The samples were divided into good- and poor-cooking, having shear force values less or greater than 4.0kg/g, respectively. Of the total samples (36), the 11 good-cooking had 15.2%, 30.6% and 21.5% more P, PA an PA-P, respectively, than the 25 poor-cooking (P=0.01). These differences were higher, being 15.6%, 36.9% and 25.2% for the five good-cooking and 23 poor-cooking sample of lentil obtained from the cooperative test (P=0.01). In the hydroponic experiment, the differences between the good- and poor-cooking samples for P, PA and PA-P were 10.5%, 19.5% and 10.2%, respectively (non-significant). The data suggested that PA was largely, if not entirely responsible for the observed differences in the cooking quality of lentil. Thus, enhanced levels of available P, by conversion to PA, may improve the cooking quality of lentil. The ranges in 36 lentil samples were: shear force, 2.6 to 7.9kg/g; P, 0.23 to 0.67%; PA, 0.15 to 1.54%; PA-P, 17.8 to 64.8%; inorganic P, 3.6 to 48.7%.