Lentil Flour Research Articles

Effects of Lentil Flour on the Quality of Gluten-free Muffins

The purpose of this study was to develop a gluten-free muffin recipe containing lentil flour. The lentil flour was added at different levels (10, 20 and 30%) and various characteristics of muffin samples were investigated compared to two different controls with and without gluten. Quality characteristics of muffins were determined by analyzing proximate composition, batter properties (pH, density, and specific volume), physical properties (cooking loss, cake yield, color, texture, volume, symmetry and uniformity indices) and sensory properties. As a result of lentil flour addition, protein content of muffins increased by 1.6 times compared to gluten-free control samples. While pH and specific volume were decreased, density increased which led to decrease in air incorporation into batter and reduced final cake volume. Addition of lentil flour led to increase in yellowish color in crumb of muffins. Besides, values of browning index increased in both crumb and crust of muffins. Lentil flour addition modified textural properties of muffins in such a way that adhesiveness, cohesiveness and springiness decreased. Hardness decreased with lentil flour while increased by addition of rice flour and corn starch. Overall, all muffin samples were scored at acceptable level, and all samples had similar scores. In conclusion, results of physical, chemical and sensorial analyses indicated that formulating gluten-free muffins containing 30% lentil flour could be a valuable alternative for consumers who cannot tolerate gluten.

Effect of the controlled fermented quinoa containing protective starter culture on technological characteristics of wheat bread supplemented with red lentil.

Selected antifungal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from mature spontaneous quinoa sourdough was used as potential starter culture to produce loaf wheat bread containing controlled fermented quinoa (CFQ) supplemented with red lentil (RL) flour. Phylogenetic evolutionary tree led to the identification of Enterococcus hirae as the selected LAB isolate. Furthermore, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between bread containing CFQ and control in terms of hardness. The highest loaf specific volume and overall acceptability were also observed in control sample and wheat bread containing CFQ + RL, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate of surface fungal growth on wheat bread enriched with CFQ was significantly lower than the other samples. In accordance with a non-linear multivariable model, positive and negative correlations were observed between porosity and specific volume (+ 0.79), and also specific volume and crumb hardness (- 0.70), respectively. Accordingly, CFQ can be used as bio-preservative to produce clean-label supplemented wheat bread.

Modification in starch structure of soaked and germinated lentil seeds under various thermal processing methods, including conventional, microwave, and microwave-assisted techniques

Adding lentil flours as an affordable and sustainable plant-based ingredient in food formulation plays vital role in promoting human health and reducing the environmental footprint of human diet. Also, the inclination toward sustainable food products requires the introduction of green technologies as the substitution of conventional heating. A proper substitution demands investigating the impact of different heat transfer mechanisms of conventional and green volumetric heating processes on starch gelatinization and enhancement in starch structural, functional, and nutritional properties. Hence, modified lentil flours through soaking/germination pretreatment followed by volumetric heating (microwave-infrared and vacuum-microwave drying) and conventional heating (roasting and convective air drying) were examined in this study. The results showed that using microwave-infrared not only significantly decreased processing time but also created a similar gelatinization degree compared to the lentils treated by roasting at 240°C. Vacuum-microwave also found a suitable substitution for convective air drying, producing similar modified starch at a shorter processing time. Almost all thermal treatments improved total starch digestibility; however, microwave-infrared drying and roasting increased rapidly digestible starch while vacuum-microwave and convective air drying enhanced slowly digestible starch. Generally, soaking/germination followed by the mentioned dryings leads to modified flours by changes in their starch structure, resulting in the effective utilization of pulse flours as a promoting food ingredient.

Effect of infrared heating on the functional properties of yellow pea and green lentil flours

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesValue‐added utilization of pulse flours faces challenges related to their functionality in many food applications. The present research assessed the use of infrared heating (120°C vs. 140°C) tempered (20% vs. 30% moisture) green lentil and yellow pea seeds as a means of tailoring their functional properties.FindingsSome flour functionalities were mildly affected by processing and, in most cases, were correlated with protein surface hydrophobicity and damaged starch content. Solubility at pH 5 was relatively unchanged in response to processing, while the values were slightly lowered at pH 7. The water (WHC) and oil holding capacities (OHC) improved, although OHC tended to decline as heating temperatures increased. Both pulses had poor foaming capacities but high foaming stabilities that remained constant after processing. The highest emulsion activity (EA) for pea was with the 120°C and 30% moisture treatment whereas for lentil it was with 120°C and 20% moisture; the emulsion capacity declined after all treatments.ConclusionsSelect conditions of infrared heating coupled with tempering of pulse seeds before milling can modestly improve the flour's EA, WHC, or OHC.Significance and NoveltyYellow pea and green lentil flours from infrared pretreated seeds can now be more easily formulated into applications based on their functional properties.

Effect of infrared heating on the nutritional properties of yellow pea and green lentil flours

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesTo enhance the utilization of pulse ingredients, greater knowledge of the effect of infrared (IR) processing on protein and starch nutrition is needed. The current study investigated the use of tempering (20% vs. 30% moisture) with IR heating (120°C vs. 140°C) to improve the nutritional value of two commercially important pulses: green lentils and yellow peas.FindingsProximate composition remained mostly unchanged after IR heating for both pulse types. The protein's secondary structure transitioned to a state with a higher amount of random coils as IR processing conditions intensified (increase in moisture and temperature). In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) increased from 73% to 78%−82% for green lentil and 78% to 81%−85% for yellow pea, depending on IR processing treatment. Tryptophan was the limiting amino acid in all samples. The IVPD corrected amino acid scores were not significantly altered by IR processing. The content of rapidly (RDS) and slowly (SDS) digestible starches increased, whereas that of resistance starch declined with IR processing.ConclusionsThe combined effect of tempering moisture and IR heat as a premilling treatment changed the protein secondary structure but did not improve the overall protein quality of the pulses. Starch digestibility was improved with IR processing.Significance and NoveltyEmploying tempering and IR heating techniques on pulses may be useful in food and feed applications where improved starch digestibility is desired.

Impact of Air-Drying Temperature on Antioxidant Properties and ACE-Inhibiting Activity of Fungal Fermented Lentil Flour.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Pleurotus ostreatus enhances the nutritional value of legumes. However, drying can cause significant changes in physical and nutritional properties of the final products. Thus, this work studies the impact of air-drying temperature (50, 60, and 70 °C) on relevant properties (antioxidant properties, ACE-inhibitory capacity, phytic acid, colour, and particle size) of two fermented lentils flour (Pardina and Castellana) using freeze-drying as a reference method. Castellana variety is a better substrate for Pleurotus, generating four times more biomass. In addition, an almost total reduction of phytic acid from 7.3 to 0.9 mg/g db is achieved in this variety. Air-drying significantly decreased the particle size and the final colour with ΔE > 20; nonetheless, the temperature does not play a crucial role. SSF decreased the total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity regardless of the variety, however, drying at 70 °C increased total phenolic content (186%) in fermented Castellana flour. Comparing drying methods, freeze-drying implied a higher decrease in those parameters, reducing the TPC from 2.4 to 1.6 and from 7.7 to 3.4 mg gallic acid/g db in Pardina and Castellana dried flours. Finally, the flours inhibit the angiotensin I-converting-enzyme, and fermentation and drying increased their potential cardiovascular benefits.

D-OPTIMAL MIXTURE DESIGN APPROACH IN THE PRODUCTION OF COOKIES ENRICHED WITH DIETARY FIBER SOURCES SUCH AS LENTIL FLOUR, BANANA FRUIT AND BANANA PEEL POWDER

This study aimed to develop fiber-enriched cookies by partially replacing wheat flour (WF) with alternative fiber sources including yellow lentil flour (YLF), green lentil flour (GLF), banana powder (BP), and banana peel powder (BPP). The ratios of YLF, GLF, and WF were identified as 24.5, 10.7, and 64.8 % (flour basis), respectively, considering the mixture experimental design for an optimal breaking strength of cookies. Four types of cookies were studied: (i) wheat-based cookies (WC), (ii) lentil flour, BP and BPP-incorporated cookies (LBC), (iii) BP and BPP-incorporated cookies (BC), (iv) lentil flour-incorporated cookie (LC). LC showed a higher spread ratio and lightness than LBC and BC. Although alternative ingredients enhanced dietary fiber content compared to wheat-only cookies, the liking degree of sensory attributes was lower in LBC and BC. Overall, LC was superior to LBC and BC samples, indicating possible use of lentil flours for partial replacement of wheat flour for desired physical, chemical, and sensory attributes.

Fractionation, Structural Characteristics, Functionality, Aromatic Profile, and In Vitro Digestibility of Lentil (Lens culinaris) Proteins

Consumers’ attitudes toward more plant-based components in their diet has greatly driven the exploration of functional plant proteins. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the structural and functional properties, nutritional and aromatic profiles, and in vitro digestion of protein fractions from the underexploited lentil grain. Albumin (LA), globulin (LG), and its subunits legumin (LL) and vicilin (LV) were fractionated from red lentil flour through alkaline extraction–isoelectric precipitation and/or different salt extractions. LA and LV exhibited unique structural properties (more β-sheet and α-helix structures), higher solubility (almost 100% at pH 7.0), and foaming capacity (>200% at pH 7.0), while LG exhibited better emulsifying properties. LA showed a distinct aromatic profile including high numbers of volatile compounds, especially alcohols, esters, and acids. After in vitro gastric-intestinal digestion, the hydrolysis degree of LA (24.25%) was the lowest, owing to the presence of major antinutritional factors.

Molecular Composition and Biological Activity of a Novel Acetonitrile-Water Extract of Lens Culinaris Medik in Murine Native Cells and Cell Lines Exposed to Different Chemotherapeutics Using Mass Spectrometry.

We evaluated the effects of a new extract (70% acetonitrile, 2E0217022196DIPFARMTDA) of Lens culinaris Medik (Terre di Altamura SRL, Altamura BA) to prevent cytotoxic damage from cisplatin, staurosporine, irinotecan, doxorubicin, and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. The acetonitrile-water extract (range 0.1-5 mg/mL) was obtained by extracting 10 g of lentil flour with 50 milliliters of the acetonitrile-water extraction mixture in a 70:30 ratio, first for 3 h and then overnight in a shaker at room temperature. The next day, the extract was filtered and passed through a Rotavapor to obtain only the aqueous component and eliminate that with acetonitrile, and then freeze-dried to finally have the powdered extract. In vitro experiments showed that the extract prevented the cytotoxic damage induced by cisplatin, irinotecan, and doxorubicin on HEK293 and SHSY5Y cell lines after 24-96 h. In murine osteoblasts after 24-72 h of incubation time, the extract was cytoprotective against all chemicals. The extract was effective against dexamethasone, leading to synergic cell proliferation in all cell types. In bone marrow cells, the extract is cytoprotective after 72 h against doxorubicin, staurosporine, and dexamethasone. Instead, on muscle fibers, the extract has a synergic effect with chemotherapeutics, increasing cytotoxicity induced by doxorubicin and staurosporine. LC-MS attested to the existence of several phenolic structures in the extract. The most abundant families of compounds were flavonoids (25.7%) and mellitic acid (18%). Thus, the development of this extract could be implemented in the area of research related to the chemoprevention of damage to renal, neuronal, bone marrow cells, and osteoblasts by chemotherapeutics; moreover, it could be used as a reinforcer of cytotoxic action of chemotherapeutics on muscle fibers.

Prediction of Mineral Composition in Wheat Flours Fortified with Lentil Flour Using NIR Technology.

Lentil flour is an important source of minerals, including iron, so its use in food fortification programs is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the potential of near infrared technology to discriminate the presence of lentil flour in fortified wheat flours and the quantification of their mineral composition is evaluated. Three varieties of lentils (Castellana, Pardina and Guareña) were used to produce flours, and a total of 153 samples of wheat flours fortified with them have been analyzed. The results show that it is possible to discriminate fortified flours with 100% efficiency according to their lentil flour content and to discriminate them according to the variety of lentil flour used. Regarding their mineral composition, the models developed have shown that it is possible to predict the Ca, Mg, Fe, K and P content in fortified flours using near infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, these models can be applied to unknown samples with results comparable to ICP-MS determination of these minerals.

Nutritional and sensorial analysis of a lentil flour-based sweet pancake premix

Background: Legume flours have been a target for ingredient innovation in the last decade. Legume grains have high protein and fibre content and are gluten-free, making them suitable for different consumer types, including celiac. Additionally, legume grain cultivation reduces synthetic fertiliser application, providing environmental benefits and improving ecosystem functions. Methods: In this study, a commercial pancake flour mix where part of cereal flour was replaced with lentil flour was developed. The nutritional value was analysed and a quantitative blind affective test was performed to understand the consumer acceptability of the lentil-based pancakes. A questionnaire was developed to survey consumers preferences towards pancake consumption and purchase factors. Results: When compared to the commercial counterpart, the lentil-based pancakes had higher protein and lower carbohydrate and salt contents. Of the 90 non-trained panellists (72 women, 18 men; aged between 18 and 56), only 6% were consumers of pre-made pancake dry mixes. The panel attributed superior ratings in texture, flavour and global appreciation scales to the lentil-based pancakes and 63% of the participants responded they probably/certainly would buy the lentil flour pancakes if commercially available. Conclusion: It is possible to partially replace cereal flour with lentil flour in sweet pancake preparation, delivering a gluten-free product with an improved overall nutritional profile, and appealing to a broad range of consumer needs.

Determination of the quality of composite flour mixtures

This article presents the results of the analysis of wheat and lentil grains grown in the conditions of Uzbekistan. The chemical composition, protein content and amino acid content of lentils were determined. It is clearly stated how the analysis is carried out, what methods and formulas are used. In this regard, the study of the physicochemical characteristics of local varieties of lentil grain seems to be relevant. In recent years, much attention has been paid in the republic to the expansion of wheat and lentil grain sown areas. Such types of leguminous crops are the main sources of obtaining flour. The composition of fodder meal prepared using local lentil grains was analyzed. At the same time, the influence of the technology for obtaining composite mixtures from wheat and lentil flour on the composition of the product was studied. The quality indicators and physico-chemical characteristics of the composite mixture were established when the output amount of composite flour was introduced and simultaneously with the introduction of new technology. Classification of compound flour prepared on the basis of local varieties of lentils. The chemical composition was studied separately for each variety and the effect of composite flour on quality indicators was analyzed.

Protein composition of pulses and their protein isolates from different sources and in different isolation pH values using a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method

The objective of this study was to compare the composition of pulse proteins isolated from lentils and green and yellow peas at two isolation pH values (9 and 11) and determine the effect of this variability on protein functionality. Chromatogram peaks obtained from reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography were identified by isolation of albumin-, vicilin- and legumin-rich fractions for the three pulses. Protein composition was obtained for each isolate and compared against that of the originating pulse flour. Lentil flour showed the highest level of vicilin with a vicilin/legumin ratio of ∼ 2.5, while this ratio was 1.3 and 1.2 for green and yellow pea flour, respectively. Albumin content of yellow pea flour was high (∼36.1 %), which reduced to ∼ 15–19 % in isolated proteins showing a loss in albumins during the isolation. Higher extraction pH increased pea protein yield but led to lower protein solubility with no changes in foaming properties and in-vitro digestibility.

Antioxidant Capacity of Lentil Flour Hydrolysates Obtained with Pancreatin

Antioxidant Capacity of Lentil Flour Hydrolysates Obtained with Pancreatin

Production and characterization of nondairy gluten-free fermented beverage based on buckwheat and lentil.

The present study aimed to optimize the formulation of buckwheat/lentil gluten-free beverages fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Physicochemical parameters of 14 different beverages, such as pH, acidity, total solids, ash, total phenol content, antioxidant activity, and sensory test, were assessed after 24 h of fermentation. The results showed that the numbers of viable cells of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria on the first day of the experiment were 9.9 and 9.6 log (CFU ml-1), respectively, which were over 9 log (CFU ml-1). During 24 h from the fermentation, the number of viable cells for all beverages decreased, which reached an average probiotic count of 8.81 log (CFU ml-1) that was statistically significantly different from the probiotic count before fermentation (p < .05). Cell viability was evaluated and shelf life was estimated during 15-day refrigerated storage. At the end of the storage (15th day), the beverages contained an average of 8.4 log (CFU ml-1) of live lactobacilli cells and 7.8 log (CFU ml-1) of viable bifidobacterial cells. The optimized levels of independent factors for sprouted buckwheat and lentil flours were 51.96% and 48.04%, respectively. The optimized probiotic beverage was contained 0.25 (% lactic acid) acidity, 5.7 pH, 7.9% total solids, 0.4% ash, 41.02% DPPH, 26.96 (mg GAE/ml) phenol compounds, and 8.65 log (CFU ml-1) probiotic count. The optimized beverage had distinct organoleptic properties on day 15 of refrigerated storage. This study showed that Bifidobacterium bifidum can be used for the development of potentially probiotic beverage with sprouted buckwheat and lentil.

Effect of microwave treatment on the structural and functional properties of proteins in lentil flour

Microwave is the commonly adopted thermal technology for the cooking and other industrial processing of lentils. The study focused on evaluating the effect of microwave treatment (MT) on the protein profile and functional properties of lentil flour (LF). The lentils with 18% moisture content were exposed to MT at three different power levels (540, 720, and 900 W) and exposure times (2, 4, and 6 min). The treated lentil flour samples were defatted before further studies. The results revealed that the MT positively impacted most of the desired functional properties like water and oil absorption capacity and emulsion properties; also, MT has an insignificant effect on foaming capacity, and significantly reduced the foaming stability from 80.25% to 60%. The structure of the MT flours differed from the untreated counterparts, and MT improved the functional properties of lentil flour. Protein secondary structural changes were observed in MT flour. It was observed that MT altered the crystalline and amorphous natures of the LF, implying that MT is appealing as an alternative emerging technology to improve the functional and quality parameters of lentil proteins with potential applications for other pulse proteins.

UTILIZATION OF DIFFERENT LEGUME AND CEREAL FLOURS IN THE GLUTEN- FREE TARHANA PRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different legume and cereal flours on the proximate composition, and functional, powder, and sensory properties of the gluten-free tarhana. For this purpose, different legumes and cereal flours such as commercial gluten-free flour, rice flour, chickpea flour, bean flour, and yellow lentil flour were used. The moisture contents of tarhana samples were found to be lower than 10%. Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that the protein and cellulose contents of gluten-free tarhana samples can be significantly increased using rice (75.94% for protein and 15.29% for cellulose), chickpea (260.00% for protein and 115.88% for cellulose), bean (283.91% for protein and 385.88% for cellulose), and yellow lentil (277.19% for protein and 32.35% for cellulose) flours instead of commercial gluten-free flour (p&lt;0.05). The highest water holding capacity (215.50%) and lowest oil holding (58.17%) capacity values were observed for bean flour and bean flour tarhana. While chickpea flour tarhana has superior properties in wettability time (33.80s), bean flour tarhana has superior properties in bulk density (961.53 kg/m3), flowability (very good level), and cohesiveness (low level) values compared to the other tarhana samples. The sensory evaluation showed that all tarhana samples had greater acceptance by the panelists.

Effects of Germinated Lentil Flour on Dough Rheological Behavior and Bread Quality.

The present study analyzed the effects of germinated lentil flour (LGF) addition at different levels in wheat flour (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%), on dough rheological behavior, dough microstructure, and bread quality. Creep-recovery tests showed that the dough samples with high levels of LGF addition presented a higher resistance to flow deformability of the dough. Dough microstructure as analyzed using EFLM showed an increase in the protein area (red color) and a decrease in the starch (green color) amount with the increased level of LGF addition in the wheat flour. It was found that the LGF addition led to the improvement of the porosity, specific volume, and elasticity of the bread samples. The breads with LGF addition were darker and had a slightly reddish and yellowish tint. The bread textural parameters highlighted significant (p < 0.05) higher values for firmness and gumminess and significant (p < 0.05) lower ones for cohesiveness and resilience for the bread with LGF addition when compared with the control. The bread samples with a 2.5% and 5% addition had a more dense structure of the crumb pores. Regarding sensory evaluation, the bread samples with LGF addition in the wheat flour were well appreciated by the consumers. The addition also was desirable due to the fact that it supplemented bread with a greater amount of protein and minerals due to the composition of lentil grains. Therefore, LGF could be successfully used as an ingredient for bread making in order to obtain bread with an improved quality.

Combined effect of beet powder and lentil flour as a partial nitrite substitute on physicochemical, texture and sensory characteristics, color, and oxidative stability of pork bologna.

The combined effect of beet powder (BP; 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) and 6% lentil flour (LF) as a partial nitrite substitute on quality attributes of pork bologna incorporated with 7.5% mechanically separated pork during 12weeks of cold storage was evaluated. A randomized block experimental design with nine treatments and five storage times (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12weeks) was used for pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, protein oxidation (carbonyl and sulfhydryl), and color parameters. Bologna preparation at a pilot plant scale was replicated three times. LF addition resulted (p<0.05) in higher viscosity, emulsion stability, and lower expressible drip. Together BP and LF decreased protein oxidation during storage but were not as effective as nitrite with respect to lipid oxidation. Bologna with BP addition showed lower lightness and higher redness, whereas LF increased lightness and decreased redness. A consumer panel rated color acceptability of bologna lower with LF addition, whereas BP raised color acceptability. However, addition of the highest BP level alone to the bologna was negatively perceived as a result of the low acceptability of purge color of the vacuum-packaged bologna slices. Consequently, the combination of BP and LF could be used to improve eating quality and stability attributes when used as a potential nitrite substitute.

Characterization of roller and Ferkar-milled pulse flours using laser diffraction and scanning electron microscopy

Increasing consumer interest in pulse flour-based food formulations has highlighted the importance of flour characterization based on the type (variety) of pulse and milling methods. The objective of the present study was to compare the microstructure of four different pulse flours (chickpea, navy bean, green lentil, and yellow pea) obtained from two milling methods (single-stage Ferkar mill and multi-stage roller mill). Therefore, in the present study, the particle size distribution, protein content, and microstructural characteristics of starch-protein matrices were investigated using laser diffraction, the Dumas method, and scanning electron microscopy. Micrographs depicted that protein bodies were finely distributed in Ferkar-milled flours and straight grade streams of roller-milled flours with similar protein content. The reduction flour stream (possessing the highest protein content) contained more damaged starches than the break flour stream (possessing the lowest protein content) when observed visually. Chickpea starch granules were observed to be highly porous as compared to the starch granules in other pulse flours. Traces of fiber particles were visible in green lentil flours obtained from roller and Ferkar mills. Conclusively, the microstructure and protein content of the pulse flours is influenced by the pulse-type and milling method. Enhanced ingredient functionality obtained from flour fractions will benefit food manufacturers to incorporate pulse flours in food formulations to enhance the nutritional and textural properties of end products.