Search

Main Conclusion: The review article summarizes the approaches and potential targets to address the challenges of anti-nutrient like phytic acid in millet grains for nutritional improvement. Millets are a diverse group of minor cereal grains that are agriculturally important, nutritionally rich, and the oldest cereals in the human diet. The grains are important for protein, vitamins, macro and micronutrients, fibre, and energy sources. Despite a high amount of nutrients, millet grains also contain anti-nutrients that limit the proper utilization of nutrients and finally affect their dietary quality. Our study aims to outline the genomic information to identify the target areas of research for the exploration of candidate genes for nutritional importance and show the possibilities to address the presence of anti-nutrient (phytic acid) in millets. So, the physicochemical accessibility of micronutrients increases and the agronomic traits can do better. Several strategies have been adopted to minimize the phytic acid, a predominant anti-nutrient in cereal grains. In the present review, we highlight the potential of biotechnological tools and genome editing approaches to address phytic acid in millets. It also highlights the biosynthetic pathway of phytic acid and potential targets for knockout or silencing to achieve low phytic acid content in millets., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Lentils have a valuable physicochemical profile, which can be affected by the presence of antinutrients that may impair the benefits arising from their consumption. Different treatments can be used to reduce these undesirable compounds, although they can also affect the general composition and behaviour of the lentils. Thus, the effect of different processing methods on the physicochemical and techno-functional properties, as well as on the antinutritional factors of different lentil varieties was studied. Phytic acid was eliminated during germination, while tannins and trypsin inhibitors are mostly affected by cooking. Functional properties were also altered by processing, these being dependent on the concentration of different nutrients in lentils. All the studied treatments affected the physicochemical profile of lentils and their functional properties. Cooking and germination appear to be the most effective in reducing antinutritional factors and improving the physicochemical profile of the lentils, meeting the current nutritional demands of today's society., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Finger millet, like other cereals, contains high amounts of antinutrients that bind minerals, making them unavailable for absorption. This study explores the effect of traditional fermentation on nutritional, antinutritional, and subsequent mineral bioaccessibility (specifically iron, zinc, and calcium) of finger millet based Injera. Samples of fermented dough and Injera prepared from light brown and white finger millet varieties were analyzed for nutritional composition, antinutritional content, and mineral bioaccessibility following standard procedures. With some exceptions, the proximate composition of fermented dough was significantly affected by fermentation time. Compared to unfermented flour, the phytate and condensed tannin content significantly (p < 0.05) decreased for fermented dough and Injera samples. A strong decline in phytate and condensed tannin content was observed in white finger millet Injera as fermentation time increased, compared to light brown finger millet based Injera. The mineral bioaccessibility of Injera prepared from finger millet and maize composite flour increased with fermentation time, leading to a significant increase in bioaccessible iron, zinc, and calcium, ranging from 15.4-40.0 %, 26.8-50.8 %, and 60.9-88.5 %, respectively. The results suggest that traditional fermentation can be an effective method to reduce phytate and condensed tannin content, simultaneously increasing the bioaccessibility of minerals in the preparation of finger millet based Injera., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Browntop millet has gained popularity in recent years owing to its nutritional superiority and health benefits. However, the usage of browntop millet flours as ingredients in composite flours and functional foods is constrained due to a lack of information regarding the grain composition and its flour functionality. Therefore, the distribution of nutrients, anti-nutrients in browntop millet milled fractions and their flour functionality was evaluated in comparison to whole grain flour., Results: Bran fraction comprised the highest protein (13.7%) and fat contents (27%) among other fractions. Pearling of dehulled grains considerably reduced phytic acid, saponins and flatulence-causing oligosaccharides in pearled grain flours. Besides, this led to the enrichment of soluble fibre, minerals, phenolics and trypsin inhibitors in bran fraction. Milling also impacted flour functionality. Despite its lower water holding ability, dehulled grain flour exhibited significantly higher oil absorption capacity than whole grain flour due to the removal of fibre-rich hull fraction. Although emulsion (45.2%) and foaming capacities (12.5%) were superior in bran flour, foam stability was greater in pearled grain flours., Conclusion: These findings suggest the potential utilisation of browntop millet milled flours as ingredients in the development of distinct food formulations and as partial substitutes to wheat flour in confectionary and bakery products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Black lentils contain protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, as well as phytochemicals and various bioactive compounds. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ultrasound (US) methods are innovative technologies that can be used to increase the efficiency of the germination process in grains and legumes. To improve the nutritional value and bioactive compounds of the cookies, black lentils germinated by applying UV radiation and US technology were used in the cookie formulation. Before the germination process, UV, US, and their combination (UV+US) were applied, and pretreated and unpretreated germinated black lentil flours were used at a level of 20% in the cookie formulation. The results revealed that pretreatment application increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity more than the lentil sample germinated without any treatment. In addition, the pretreatments applied further reduced the amount of phytic acid in black lentils and the lowest phytic acid content was obtained with the UV-US combination. Compared to cookies containing unpretreated germinated black lentil flour, higher L* values and lower a* values were obtained in the cookie samples containing pretreated germinated black lentil flour. Cookies containing all pretreated germinated lentils generally exhibited higher Ca and K content. This study demonstrated that UV radiation and US improved the nutritional value and bioactive components of the germinated black lentil flour and the cookies in which it was used, compared to the black lentils germinated without any treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pretreatment of black lentils with UV/US application before germination resulted in a greater increase in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to the control sample. The applied pretreatments caused a further decrease in the amount of phytic acid in black lentil samples. Black lentils germinated with the UV+US combination revealed higher Ca, Fe, K, and Mg content compared to the sample germinated without any treatment., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Food Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists.)

A primary criticism of organic agriculture is its lower yield and nutritional quality compared to conventional systems. Nutritionally, dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a rich source of low digestible carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrients. This study aimed to evaluate dry pea cultivars and advanced breeding lines using on-farm field selections to inform the development of biofortified organic cultivars with increased yield and nutritional quality. A total of 44 dry pea entries were grown in two USDA-certified organic on-farm locations in South Carolina (SC), United States of America (USA) for two years. Seed yield and protein for dry pea ranged from 61 to 3833 kg ha-1 and 12.6 to 34.2 g/100 g, respectively, with low heritability estimates. Total prebiotic carbohydrate concentration ranged from 14.7 to 26.6 g/100 g. A 100-g serving of organic dry pea provides 73.5 to 133% of the recommended daily allowance (%RDA) of prebiotic carbohydrates. Heritability estimates for individual prebiotic carbohydrates ranged from 0.27 to 0.82. Organic dry peas are rich in minerals [iron (Fe): 1.9-26.2 mg/100 g; zinc (Zn): 1.1-7.5 mg/100 g] and have low to moderate concentrations of phytic acid (PA:18.8-516 mg/100 g). The significant cultivar, location, and year effects were evident for grain yield, thousand seed weight (1000-seed weight), and protein, but results for other nutritional traits varied with genotype, environment, and interactions. "AAC Carver," "Jetset," and "Mystique" were the best-adapted cultivars with high yield, and "CDC Striker," "Fiddle," and "Hampton" had the highest protein concentration. These cultivars are the best performing cultivars that should be incorporated into organic dry pea breeding programs to develop cultivars suitable for organic production. In conclusion, organic dry pea has potential as a winter cash crop in southern climates. Still, it will require selecting diverse genetic material and location sourcing to develop improved cultivars with a higher yield, disease resistance, and nutritional quality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Mung bean is gaining attention as a sustainable and economic source of plant protein. The current study evaluates the techno-functionality, anti-nutrient properties, in vivo protein quality and toxicity of texturized mung bean protein (TMBP) produced under optimized conditions. Our work successfully produces TMBP with improved techno-functionalities that are crucial for meat-based food applications, credited to retained juiciness and fat-binding ability. Alkaline extraction and extrusion significantly reduce trypsin inhibitor, phytic acid and tannin content in TMBP. An in vivo study using Sprague-Dawley rats reveals the good protein quality of TMBP, with a true protein digestibility of 99.26% resembling casein (99.36%, control protein), a net protein utilization of 63.99% and a biological value of 64.46%. The good protein quality, increased lean muscle mass along with reduced cholesterol and triglyceride secures TMBP's potential as a Protein meal replacer and dietary suplement. Non-toxicity of TMBP is confirmed by normal serum biochemical parameters and healthy organs, ascertaining the safety of alkaline extraction. The current study elucidates the production of TMBP with improved techno-functionalities (for meat-based food applications), reduced anti-nutritional factors and high quality (for weight-watchers and malnourished individuals).

Beans ( Phaseolus spp.) are one of the most important legumes for their nutritional value and health benefits in many world regions. In addition to Phaseolus vulgaris , there are four additional species that are cultivated in many regions of the world and are a source of food for human consumption: P. lunatus , P. coccineus , P. polyanthus , and P. acutifolius. In this work, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and anti-nutritional compounds of 18 bean accessions, corresponding to four different species of the genus Phaseolus , were analyzed. In addition, their physical characteristics, proximate composition, and amino acid content were determined in order to compare their phytochemical composition and nutritional value. The species closest to each other in terms of essential amino acid content were P. polyanthus with P. vulgaris and P. lunatus with P. coccineus. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between antioxidant activity and flavonoids, anthocyanins, and lectins with all the accessions collected. Significant differences in the content of phenolic compounds were found among the bean species studied. Therefore, in addition to P. vulgaris , other species such as P. coccineus and P. lunatus have high biological and antioxidant potential that could be beneficial to human health when consumed as nutraceutical foods.

Rice landraces of North-East India have wide bio-diversity but remained nutritionally uncharacterized. Nutritional profiling of 33 indigenous rice landraces from the state of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India, and effect milling was evaluated. Total dietary fiber (5.22 g/100 g) was significantly higher than high yielding or hybrid cultivars. Principal nutrient variability of brown rice were: ash (13% c. v.) > insoluble dietary fibre, IDF (12% c. v.) > protein (11.% c.v.) fat (11% c. v.). Compositional diversity exists among rice landraces. Average iron was lesser but zinc content was higher than popular high yielding cultivars. Nutrient changes due to milling were most profound for thiamin (-69%), IDF (-66%) followed by phytate (-66%). Nutritionally Arunachal rice landraces are comparable to high yielding cultivars with added advantage of significantly higher total dietary fiber and lower phytate content. Thus, Arunachal rice landraces represents an agronomically and nutritionally important pool for rice improvement/breeding., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of sprouting (0, 12, 24, 36, 48 hr) on enzyme activity, protein solubility, dough mixing behavior, anti-nutritional components and in vitro starch and protein digestibility of minor millets. Sprouting decreased starch, fat, protein and ash contents while the dietary fiber content, amylase and protease activity significantly (p < 0.05) increased. Sprouting promoted a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in anti-nutritonal components like phytic acid and condensed tannin. The protein solubility enhanced that also resulted in improved protein digestibility (in vitro) of sprouted millets. Sprouting exerted a significant (p < 0.05) effect on mixolab dough rheology indicating a decrease in dough consistency (C1), peak and final viscosity whilst protein weakening and breakdown increased (p < 0.05). This process produced an increase in free glucose thereby improving rapidly digestible starch and increasing glycemic index. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction in resistant starch along with slowly digestible starch was promoted during sprouting. In conclusion, sprouting provides millet flours with modified nutritional quality and better technofunctional properties than the raw flours that may suggest their potential utilization in complementary food formulations and baked products., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In order to investigate the nutritional quality of industrial-scale sprouted versus unsprouted chickpeas and green peas, before and after cooking, the ultrastructure, chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, starch digestibility, mineral content and accessibility were analysed. Sprouting did not deeply affect raw seed structure, although after cooking starch granules appeared more porous and swelled. Chemical composition of raw sprouted seeds was not strongly affected, excepting an increase in protein (both pulses), and in free sugars (in peas; +10% and +80%, respectively, p  < .05). The industrial sprouting favoured phytic acid leaching in cooking water (-35% in seeds, compared to unsprouted cooked ones, p  < .05), and promoted antioxidant capacity reductions in raw and cooked seeds (-10% and -37%, respectively, p  < .05). In conclusion, sprouting on an industrial-scale induced mild structural modifications in chickpeas and peas, sufficient to reduce antinutritional factors, without strongly influencing their nutritional quality. These products could represent nutritionally interesting ingredients for different dietary patterns as well as for enriched cereal-based foods.

Background: Malnutrition has been responsible directly or indirectly for 10.9 million deaths worldwide annually among children under five. Childhood malnutrition is highly related to poor nutritional quality diet in developing countries where there is limited access to animal based foods. Most foods consumed by young children are cereal based which contain high amounts of anti-nutritional factors. Fermentation is thought to significantly lower the content of anti-nutrients in cereal grains. This study therefore, aimed to determine complementary feeding practices and effect of spontaneous fermentation on anti-nutritional factors and mineral contents of selected cereals., Methods: Cross sectional survey was conducted in Ebinat district to determine complementary feeding practices among 324 lactating mothers. Laboratory analysis was carried out for teff and wheat cereal grains to determine the effect of spontaneous fermentation on anti-nutrients as well as mineral contents., Results: Prevalence of appropriate complementary feeding practice was 1.5%. Fermentation of the sampled cereals for 12 h significantly (p < 0.05) reduced total phytate and total tannin. The reduction continued and most of the reduction of phytate and tannin contents occurred during the 72 h of fermentation for both cereal samples. However, the reduction for some fermentation times was not statistically significant. A significant (p < 0.05) variation was also noticed in the total amounts of calcium, iron and zinc in both sampled cereals within the 72 h of fermentation., Conclusion: Prevalence of appropriate complementary feeding practice was very low. There were significant reductions of phytate and tannin contents with concomitant increments of minerals after fermentation of cereals. Phytate: mineral ratios were significantly decreased after fermentation for all the parameters examined. It is recommended to ferment cereals while preparing complementary foods for children so as to enhance their micronutrient uptake.

Pulses display nutritional benefits and are recommended in sustainable diets. Indeed, they are rich in proteins and fibers, and can contain variable amounts of micronutrients. However, pulses also contain bioactive compounds such as phytates, saponins, or polyphenols/tannins that can exhibit ambivalent nutritional properties depending on their amount in the diet. We characterized the nutritional composition and bioactive compound content of five types of prepared pulses frequently consumed in France (kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, brown and green lentils, flageolets), and specifically compared the effects of household cooking vs. canning on the composition of pulses that can be consumed one way or the other. The contents in macro-, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds highly varied from one pulse to another (i.e., 6.9 to 9.7 g/100 g of cooked product for proteins, 4.6 to 818.9 µg/100 g for lutein or 15.0 to 284.3 mg/100 g for polyphenols). The preparation method was a key factor governing pulse final nutritional composition in hydrophilic compounds, depending on pulse species. Canning led to a greater decrease in proteins, total dietary fibers, magnesium or phytate contents compared to household cooking (i.e., -30%, -44%, -33% and -38%, p < 0.05, respectively, in kidney beans). As canned pulses are easy to use for consumers, additional research is needed to improve their transformation process to further optimize their nutritional quality.

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro bioaccessibility of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in soy drink after phytase treatment and correlate it with the content of myo-inositol phosphates. Samples of commercial soy drink products and one sample produced in the laboratory by maceration were evaluated. Phytase was applied using 300 U per liter in 60 min considering the phosphate release. The content of myo-inositol tris-, tetrakis-, pentakis and hexakisphosphate was not observed after phytase treatment. The solubility assay showed an increase from 2.0% to 20.8% for Ca, 2.2% to 37.1% for Fe and 38.8% to 67.4% for Zn after phytase treatment with significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) for most samples. Dialysis assay demonstrated 1.0% to 9.5% for Ca after phytase treatment (p ≤ 0.05) except for one commercial sample. The phytase treatment is a valuable alternative process for improving mineral natural availability in soy drink and decreased the use of salts in the fortification., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Iron, zinc and vitamin A deficiencies are serious public health problems in sub-Saharan Africa, which can be alleviated by dietary diversification. The effects of adding cowpea leaf (CL) and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) relishes to sorghum and maize porridges on iron, zinc and β-carotene contents and bioaccessibilities were determined. Despite the high iron content of the CL relish (14.59 mg/100 g), the vegetable relishes had little effect on the iron bioaccessibility from the cereal porridges. Importantly, the addition of the CL relish increased the percentage and amount of bioaccessible zinc 2- and 3-fold, respectively. Addition of CL and OFSP relishes resulted in β-carotene contents of 10-13 mg/100 g. The β-carotene from the OFSP relish meals was double as bioaccessible than that from the CL relish meals. Addition of the vegetable relishes has real potential to improve especially the vitamin A and zinc nutritive value of cereal diets.

Raw and processed (soaked or cooked) seeds of peas, lentils, chickpeas, fava beans and common beans were studied for their contents of antinutritional factors (lectins, phytic acid, total and soluble oxalates), along with soybean as a control. Analysis of variance indicated that legume type, treatment and their interactive effects were significant on these antinutrients. The raw soybean seed was found to contain the highest levels of lectins (692.8 HU/mg), phytic acid (22.91 mg/g), total oxalate (370.5 mg/100 g) and soluble oxalate (200.7 mg/100 g) among all investigated seeds. Relatively high contents of lectins were detected in beans (87.69-88.59 HU/mg) and other pulses ranging from 2.73-11.07 HU/mg. Phytic acid in Canadian pulses varied slightly from 8.55-22.85 mg/g. Total oxalates were variable, ranging from 244.7-294.0 mg/100 g in peas, 168.6-289.1 mg/100 g in lentils, 241.5-291.4 mg/100 g in fava beans, 92.2-214.0 mg/100 g in chickpeas and 98.86-117.0 mg/100 g in common beans. Approximately 24-72% of total oxalate appeared to be soluble in all investigated pulses. Soaking the seeds in distilled water significantly decreased the contents of lectins (0.11-5.18%), total oxalate (17.40-51.89%) and soluble oxalate (26.66-56.29%), but had no impact on phytic acid. The cooking process was found to be more effective in reducing levels of all the investigated antinutritional factors, except phytic acid in common beans and soybean., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mineral availability from sorghum grain in some varieties may be low because of the presence of phytates and tannins. However, heat processing of sorghum may lower tannin and phytate levels and thus improve mineral availability. Sorghum has potential in the manufacture of gluten free breakfast cereals, therefore flaked breakfast cereals were manufactured from whole grains of three contrasting sorghum varieties and compared to that manufactured from whole grain wheat. The content of tannin, phytate, minerals (Ca, Fe and Zn), in vitro mineral availability and phytate: mineral molar ratios were determined in the raw whole grain flours and the cooked flaked breakfast cereal. For all grain varieties, the in vitro mineral availability of flaked breakfast cereal was higher than the raw flours, an effect most probably related to the concomitant reduction in tannins and phytate levels after processing. The in vitro mineral availability of the flaked wheat breakfast cereal was significantly higher than that of all sorghum breakfast cereals, with that manufactured from the brown sorghum IS8237C having the lowest value (p≤0.05). Given that the sorghum varieties in this study gave lower mineral availability than wheat, other sorghum varieties now require evaluation to identify those with improved mineral availability., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Thermal analysis could rapidly and easily predict nutritional value of ruminant feeds. The hypothesis is that crambe meal (CM) has a quality similar to that of soybean meal (SM), and the objective of this study was to determine the nutritional characteristics of CM and compare them to those of SM. CM had greater concentrations of phytic acid (26.3 vs. 16.0 g/kg) and phenol compounds (615 vs. 393 mg gallic acid (GAE)/kg) than SM. In vitro dry matter (DM) digestibility was lower for CM than SM (752 vs. 975 g/kg DM). Cumulative in vitro gas production at 48 h of incubation (14.1 vs. 19.4 mL/100 mg substrate DM), and energy release (4.5 vs. 5.7 kJ/g substrate DM) were lower for CM than SM. CM had a higher concentration of low digestible fiber, hence degradability of DM was lower and the proportion of indigestible fraction was greater for CM than SM. High concentrations of indigestible compounds were likely responsible for lower gas production of CM compared to SM. These results suggest CM quality is lower than that of SM and that thermal analysis is a useful tool to precisely determine the nutritive value of oilseed residues., (© 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Three commonly used legumes, Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc., Phaseolus lunatus Linn., and Phaseolus vulgaris Linn., were subjected to determine their minerals and phytic acid contents to correlate their nutritional and medicinal properties. To quantify essential minerals, atomic absorption spectroscopic method, while for phytic acid estimation, spectrophotometric method was used. Presence of Fe, Mg, Mn, P and Zn were recorded in good quantities, Ca and Cu in moderate, while K in small quantity in the seed flours of all the three tested legumes. Maximum Fe and Zn content (0.38 and 0.40 mg/g) were recorded in P. vulgaris, while M. uniflorum delivered high content of Mg, Mn, P and Ca (0.21, 0.20, 77.94 and 0.04 mg/g) and 0.04 mg/g Cu was recorded in P. lunatus. The highest level of phytic acid (37.00 mg/g) was recorded in M. uniflorum at 519 nm. The estimated quantities of minerals and phytic acid provide a good opportunity to draw a conclusion that all the three tested legumes could potentially be used as food to achieve nutritional and health related functional benefits.

We have prepared a review of the physical-chemical composition and the functional and anti-nutritional properties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). It is a plant of the Chenopodiaceae family, originally from the Andean regions, adaptable to different types of soils and climatic conditions. Its composition has attracted the attention of scientific community for its high nutritional value, being rich in proteins, lipids, fibers, vitamins, and minerals, with an extraordinary balance of essential amino acids. It is also gluten-free, a characteristic that enables its use by celiac patients. In spite of all these attributes, quinoa is not widely used by consumers due to the high cost of imported grain and little knowledge of its benefits. More studies are required to increase knowledge about this "pseudo-cereal" to demonstrate its functional and nutritional benefits and to study its anti-nutritional effects, since it presents high commercial value and excellent nutritional quality.

In this study, the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at elevated temperature (60 °C) and 2 dielectric heating (DH) methods (radio frequency [RF], and microwaving [MW]) on the nutritional compositions and removal of antinutritional factors in black soybeans were studied. Each treatment caused <2% reduction in protein, and 3.3% to 7.0% decline in total amino acid content. However, the proportion of essential amino acid slightly increased in DH treated samples. The treatment decreased fat content (14.0% to 35.7%), but had small influence on fatty acid proportion. Antinutritional factors including trypsin inhibitor, tannins, saponins, and phytic acid were all declined by the 3 treatments, and DH treatment was generally more efficient. The most abundant saponins was decreased >22% in DH treated samples. MW and HHP led to higher in vitro protein digestibility, RF and MW promoted protein aggregation from atomic force microscope topography, but HHP caused more damages on protein subunits as seen from SDS-PAGE image., (© 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®)

The effect of germination conditions on the nutritional benefits of germinated brown rice flour (GBR) bread has been determined. The proximate composition, phytic acid, in vitro protein digestibility and in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of starch, glucose and starch content, as well as the most relevant bioactive compounds (GABA, γ-oryzanol and total phenolic compounds) and antioxidant activity of breads prepared with GBR at different germination conditions was determined. When comparing different germination times (0 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h), germination for 48 h provides GBR bread with nutritionally superior quality on the basis of its higher content of protein, lipids and bioactive compounds (GABA and polyphenols), increased antioxidant activity and reduced phytic acid content and glycaemic index, although a slight decrease in in vitro protein digestibility was detected. Overall, germination seems to be a natural and sustainable way to improving the nutritional quality of gluten-free rice breads., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A combination of soaking and extrusion processes of whole rice grain was studied. The effects of temperature (35-55 °C) and time (24-48 h) of soaking treatment on phytic acid (PA), protein and ashes losses using a factorial design were evaluated. Taking into account ash, protein and PA losses, whole rice was soaked 24 h at 45 °C and extruded using a Brabender single screw extruder. Effects of extrusion temperature (160-190 °C) and moisture content (14-19 g/100 g) on product characteristics were evaluated using surface response methodology. Values corresponding to the different responses were: Expansion (1.64-3.28), Specific Volume (5.68-11.06 cm(3)/g), Water absorption (3.41-4.43 mL/g) and Solubility (45.44-66.20 g/100 g). The content of PA was reduced from 740.09 to 163.47 mg/100 g (77%) after both processes, resulting in a higher mineral bio-accessibility, and a 7.3% decrease of protein digestibility. Total soluble phenolics and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were affected according to the treatment. Both treatments were important to obtain a nutritionally improved whole grain product.

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different levels of micronutrients (0, 2, 4, and 8 g/5 kg soil) and a fixed amount (6 g/5 kg soil) of macronutrients fertilizer on the antinutrients content, protein content and digestibility, total and extractable macro- and micro-elements, amino acid content and score of grains of sorghum cultivar (Gadambalia) grown for two consecutive season. Protein content and essential amino acids composition of sorghum grains significantly (P⩽0.05) increased with micronutrients level for both seasons. Tannins and phytate contents dropped significantly (P⩽0.05) with a concomitant increase in protein digestibility, macro- and micro-elements extractability for both seasons and treatments. The content of macro- and micro-elements of the grains increased with micronutrients level during both seasons. The essential amino acids scores of the grains were significantly (P⩽0.05) increased for both seasons and treatments., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Germinated brown rice (GBR) is considered healthier than brown rice (BR) but its nutritive value has been hardly studied. Since nutritive quality of GBR depends on genetic diversity and germination conditions, six Ecuadorian BR varieties were germinated at 28 and 34 ºC for 48 and 96 h in darkness and proximate composition, dietary fiber fractions, phytic acid content as well as degree of protein hydrolysis and peptide content were studied. Protein, lipids, ash and available carbohydrate ranged 7.3-10.4%, 2.0-4.0%, 0.8-1.5% and 71.6 to 84.0%, respectively, in GBR seedlings. Total dietary fiber increased during germination (6.1-13.6%), with a large proportion of insoluble fraction, while phytic acid was reduced noticeably. In general, protein hydrolysis occurred during germination was more accused at 28 ºC for 48 h. These results suggest that GBR can be consumed directly as nutritive staple food for a large population worldwide contributing to their nutritional requirements.

The presence of antinutritional constituents in rapeseed protein products (RPI), such as polyphenols, phytates, allyl isothiocyanates, and glucosinolates, is a formidable constraint. The effect of antinutrient removal from rapeseed meal with an organic solvent mixture (methanol/acetone, 1:1 v/v, combined with an acid (hydrochloric, acetic, perchloric, trichloroacetic, phosphoric)) on the physicochemical and functional properties of RPI was investigated. The extraction resulted in a substantial reduction of antinutrients from RPI, especially polyphenols and phytates, with concomitant decreases in protein yield and solubility. Treatment harbored significant improvement in the degree of whiteness, which was highest in the perchloric acid case. Surface hydrophobicity and free sulfhydryl group of RPI changed considerably, with perchloric acid-treated samples showing higher values, whereas the disulfide content remarkably increased in trichloroacetic acid- and phosphoric acid-treated samples, signifying aggregation. Intrinsic emission fluorescence and FTIR spectra showed significant changes in proteins' tertiary and secondary conformations, and the changes were more pronounced in samples treated with higher concentrations of acids. No appreciable alteration appeared among the electrophoretic profiles of proteins from pristine meal and those treated with lower levels of acids. Interfacial surface properties of proteins were variably improved by the solvent extraction, whereas the converse was true for their extent of denaturation. The results suggest that the physicochemical and conformational properties of RPI are closely related to its functional properties.

Dietary deficiencies of zinc and iron are a substantial global public health problem. An estimated two billion people suffer these deficiencies, causing a loss of 63 million life-years annually. Most of these people depend on C3 grains and legumes as their primary dietary source of zinc and iron. Here we report that C3 grains and legumes have lower concentrations of zinc and iron when grown under field conditions at the elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration predicted for the middle of this century. C3 crops other than legumes also have lower concentrations of protein, whereas C4 crops seem to be less affected. Differences between cultivars of a single crop suggest that breeding for decreased sensitivity to atmospheric CO2 concentration could partly address these new challenges to global health.

The guava processing industry in Malaysia produces by-products in the form of seed core and peel. These by-products can be regarded as underused resources but there are concerns about their composition that prevent their use in the food and feed industries. This study aims to analyze the respective effects of heat treatments (boiling or autoclaving) and germination periods on the nutritional composition and phytochemical content of guava seeds. The guava seeds were found to contain 618, 78, 72, and 5 mg/g dry weight total dietary fiber, fat, protein, and ash, respectively. The tannin and saponin contents, but not the phytic acid content, were below the respective anti-nutritional thresholds. The heat treatments did not affect the total dietary fiber and ash contents but reduced all other chemical components to different extents (15-91%). Boiling did not reduce the phytic acid content substantially but autoclaving caused a reduction of 91% to a level below the anti-nutritional threshold. Germination for 14 days caused a significant reduction in nutrient contents in the range of 16-79%. Germination also reduced the phytic acid content by 90% in the seed but did not significantly affect the saponin content. Thus, guava seed can be treated thermally or germinated to manipulate its chemical composition to enable its use in the food and feed industries.

The nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of African Yam Bean (AYB) and Lima bean flours under different processing methods were determined. Nutritional and anti-nutritional properties studied include moisture content, crude protein, crude fibre, ash content, ether extract, carbohydrate, tannin, protease inhibitor and phytate. The moisture content of AYB flours ranged from 9.31 to 9.61% while that of lima beans ranged from 9.32 to 9.56%. There is a significant different among the samples when the unprocessed AYB (control) and the processed AYB were compared. The same trend was also observed with lima bean flours. However, some nutrient did not show significant variations with processing. It was observed that samples of soaked/de-hulled AYB have the least protease inhibitor of 0.73 mg/100 g and it is significantly different from the unprocessed samples. Soaked/de-hulled flours of both AYB and lima beans have the most percentage decrease in anti-nutritional content. Lima bean flours were observed to have higher anti-nutritional content than AYB. The percentage decrease of anti-nutritional factors in the samples is proportionally higher than that of the nutrients. The nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of the samples suggest that processed African Yam Bean (AYB) and Lima bean flours would have useful application in fabricated foods.

Human consumption of flaxseed is increasing due to its health benefit properties and extrusion processes can enhance its nutritional quality. Extruded flaxseed meal (EFM) obtained in a pilot plant was characterized and incorporated in flour mixes and cereal-based bars to demonstrate its nutritious usefulness. Amino acid content was not affected by extrusion and, despite lysine was the limitating amino acid, the chemical score (CS) was 83 %. Thiamin and riboflavin decreased slightly as consequence of extrusion, phytic acid did not change and trypsin inhibitor activity was undetectable. Proximate composition and nutritional quality determined by biological and chemical indexes were compared among EFM, flour mixes (FM) and cereal bars (CB). They presented high protein levels (26, 20 and 17 %, respectively), good biological value (BV) (80, 79 and 65, respectively), acceptable true protein digestibility (TD) (73, 79 and 78, respectively), and high dietary fiber (33, 20.5 and 18 %, respectively). The ratio of ω6:ω3 for CB was within the WHO/FAO recommendations. These results open a new venue for the usefulsess of nutritious/healthy extruded flaxseed flours into ready-to-eat cereal-based products with improved nutritional quality.

Unlabelled: Rice bean, a less known and underutilized legume, has emerged as a potential legume because of its nutritional potential. The nutritional quality of rice bean is higher as compared to many other legumes of Vigna family. In the present study, 16 diverse rice bean genotypes were evaluated for major nutritional constituents viz; protein content, total lipids, dietary fiber, total carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, protein fractions, amino acid, and fatty acid profile. The protein content to the extent of 25.57% was observed in the genotype BRS-2 with in vitro digestibility of 54.23%. The fatty acid profile revealed the higher percentage of unsaturated fatty viz., linoleic and linolenic acid, which are nutritionally desirable in the diet. Albumins (6.13% to 7.47%) and globulins (13.11% to 15.56%) constituted the major portion of proteins. Anti-nutritional factors were in the range of: total phenolics (1.63% to 1.82%), total tannins (1.37% to 1.55%), condensed tannins (0.75% to 0.80%), hydrolysable tannins (0.56% to 0.79%), trypsin inhibitor (24.55 to 37.23 mg/g), phytic acid (7.32 to 8.17 mg/g), lipoxygenase activity (703 to 950 units/mg), and saponin content (1.2 to 3.1 mg/100 g). The oligosaccharides associated with the production of flatulence viz., raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose were in the limits of 1.66% to 2.58%, 0.94% to 1.88%, and 0.85% to 1.23%, respectively. In vitro protein digestibility up to 55.57% was observed in rice bean genotypes. The present study has revealed that rice bean is a nutritionally rich legume as compared to many other legumes of the category. Among different genotypes BRS-2 was observed superior and could be advocated for consumption as well as for inclusion in crop improvement programs., Practical Application: Rice bean is nutritionally rich legume, but despite its nutritional excellence, it has been put in underutilized category. Because of this and several other reasons the people are not aware of its nutritional benefits. Moreover, the complete nutritional details are also not available on this pulse. The present study gives the vivid description of nutritional attributes of this legume for making people aware of its nutritional excellence and provoking improved work in rice bean., (© 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®)

Background/aims: Dried Cirina forda (Westwood) larva is widely marketed, cheap, and commonly consumed in Southwestern Nigeria. Its powder was used in enriching two commonly used complementary food staples (maize and sorghum) as a source of protein and essential micronutrients in complementary foods for infants and young children., Methods: Samples of soaked and dried sorghum and maize flours and C. forda powder were prepared, and C. forda powder was added to the dried soaked maize and sorghum flours at 5, 10, and 15% (w/w) inclusion levels and analyzed for proximate, mineral, and antinutrient compositions using standard methods of AOAC., Results: One hundred grams of C. forda larva contained 52.6 g of protein, 16.8 g of lipids, 2.6 g of ash, 268.67 mg of calcium, 5.64 mg of iron, and 15.00 mg of zinc, and yielded 458.40 kcal energy with 4.40 mg of trypsin inhibitor. Sorghum and maize flours contained 9.2 and 8.3 g of protein, respectively. Addition of C. forda at 5, 10, and 15% levels to fermented sorghum and maize flours significantly increased both micro- and macronutrients of the complementary foods (p < 0.05), and the nutrient density and trypsin inhibitor increased with the inclusion level (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The trypsin inhibitor level was very low and cannot cause protein malabsorption. C. forda can serve as a good source of nutrients such as protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc in formulating nutrient-dense complementary foods., (Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The present study describes the effect of the microwave-heating method on disinfestations and physico characteristics, viz., grain size, grain hardness, and nutritional quality, of the stored green gram seed. It has been observed that the use of the microwave-heating method not only prolongs the storage duration of the green gram seed but also enhances its nutritional quality. The effect of independent parameters, viz., microwave power level and time of exposure, on the moisture content, insect mortality, color, and antinutrient factor (phyic acid) was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM), with the optimized value for power of 808 W and time at 80 s. The optimally treated green gram seed has 8.9% moisture, 99.5% insect mortality, 2.22 Δa* (green color of seed), and 591.79 mg/100 g of antinutrient factor (phytic acid). The grain size (geometric mean diameter, D(m)) of the control (untreated) sample was 3.75 mm, and that of the microwave-treated sample using optimum conditions was 3.99 mm. The grain hardness of the control sample was 3.31 kg, and that of the microwave-treated sample using optimum conditions was 1.305 kg. In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of the control (untreated) sample was 83 ± 0.289%, and that of the microwave-treated sample using optimum conditions was 85 ± 0.296%. These values are significantly difference (p < 0.05). The mineral elements studied were Zn, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, K, Ca, and Na. The microwave treatment resulted in a non-significant (p < 0.05) effect for Mg, Mn, Cu, K, and Na but a significant (p < 0.05) effect for Zn, Ca, and Fe. The results indicate that the microwave heating not only increases the insect mortality but also reduces the moisture content and antinutritional factor (phytic acid), while the natural green color of the seed is not affected much. This study provides a novel and environmentally safe technique and increase in the nutritive quality.

The proximate, nutritional, and antinutritional compositions of the raw, cooked, and roasted samples of four Nigerian indigenous seeds-Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Mucuna flagellipes, and Citrullus colocynthis-were evaluated. Also estimated were zinc and divalent cation bioavailability of the seeds using millimolar ratios/kg dry weight of [calcium]/[phytate], [phytate]/[zinc], [calcium][phytate]/[Zn], and [phytate]/[total phosphorus]. The results obtained revealed that the seeds of P. macrophylla and C. colocynthis had high protein and lipid levels. All the seeds were also found to have high energy value and low moisture content. Mineral analysis showed the presence of Na, K, Ca, and Mg in appreciable quantities and Zn, I, Fe, and Se in minute quantities. Antinutritional analyses indicated the presence of traces of tannin, oxalate, phytate, saponin, and cyanide in the samples. The various processing techniques had significant (P ≤ .05) effects on the measured parameters. The calculated [Ca][phytate]/[Zn] molar ratios revealed that these seeds had values above the critical level of 0.5 mL/kg, thus indicating reduced bioavailability of zinc. In view of the high nutrient contents, low antinutritional contents after processing, and their superabundance, these seeds could be cheap nutrient sources. The implications of these findings with regards to food security are enormous.

Germinated brown rice (GBR) of two popular Thailand varieties, Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105) and Chainat 1, with improved nutritional composition, was obtained by optimizing water soaking conditions. Different water pH (3, 4, 6 and 8), temperatures (25 °C, 35 °C and 45 °C), and soaking times (12 and 24 h) were tested. Using the response surface methodology (RSM), the best condition for producing GBR of both varieties was soaking in water with pH 6 and temperature of 35 °C for 24 h. It caused a 4- to 5-fold increase in gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) content which, together with protein and lipid contents, were highest among treatments. Intermediate levels of thiamine (vitamin B1) and phytic acid (IP6) were obtained. In GBR of KDML 105 variety, GABA, vitamin B1 and IP6 contents were 16.48, 0.526 and 501.06 mg/100 g, respectively, while protein and lipid contents were 10.50% and 4.00%, respectively. For Chainat 1 variety, GABA, vitamin B1 and IP6 contents were 14.50, 0.436 and 486.03 mg/100 g, respectively, while protein and lipid contents were 9.80% and 3.99%, respectively. Carbohydrate and amylose contents differed by only less than 1-2% among treatments. Supplemental aeration during water soaking decreased GABA, protein and lipid contents, but increased vitamin B1 and IP6 contents in both varieties. Furthermore, cooked GBR of both varieties had softer texture than cooked ordinary brown rice.

Reduction of phytic acid in soybean seeds has the potential to improve the nutritional value of soybean meal and lessen phosphorus pollution in large scale animal farming. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of two new low phytic acid (LPA) mutations on seed quality and nutritional traits. Multilocation/season comparative analyses showed that the two mutations did not affect the concentration of crude protein, any of the individual amino acids, crude oil, and individual saturated fatty acids. Among other traits, Gm-lpa-TW75-1 had consistently higher sucrose contents (+47.4-86.1%) and lower raffinose contents (-74.2 to -84.3%) than those of wild type (WT) parent Taiwan 75; Gm-lpa-ZC-2 had higher total isoflavone contents (3038.8-4305.4 microg/g) than its parent Zhechun # 3 (1583.6-2644.9 microg/g) in all environments. Further tests of homozygous F(3) progenies of the cross Gm-lpa-ZC-2 x Wuxing # 4 (WT variety) showed that LPA lines had a mean content of total isoflavone significantly higher than WT lines. This study demonstrated that two LPA mutant genes have no negative effects on seed quality and nutritional traits; they instead have the potential to improve a few other properties. Therefore, these two mutant genes are valuable genetic resources for breeding high quality soybean varieties.

Antinutrient, proximate, mineral, fatty acid, vitamin, and amino acid analyses of sandbox tree (Hura crepitans) seeds were carried out. The results of antinutrient analysis showed that H. crepitans seed contains alkaloid (5.0 +/- 0.2 mg/100 g), tannins (5.0 +/- 0.3 mg/100 g), phytate (53.0 +/- 6.0 mg/100 g), cardiac glycoside (1890.0 +/- 1.5 mg/100 g), and saponin (2.2 +/- 0.1 mg/100 g). Its trypsin inhibitor activity was found to be 30.27 +/- 1.86 TIU/mg of protein. The results of proximate analysis showed that H. crepitans seed is very rich in crude protein (25.16 +/- 0.22%), crude oil (51.43 +/- 0.22%), and energy content (2,621.891 +/- 6.357 kJ/100 g). H. crepitans seed also contains 1.85 ppm Na, 3.4 ppm K, 0.088 ppm Ca, and trace amounts of Mg, Fe, and Zn. The results also showed that H. crepitans oil contains 20.12% oleic acid, followed by stearic acid (3.0%), while linoleic acid is present at the lowest level (0.03%) among the other acids. The Hura oil has a high saponification value (127.16 +/- 0.18 mg/g) and low acid value (3.56 +/- 0.16 mg/g). The results also showed that the average molecular weight of glycerides is higher in the oil as reflected by the ester value (123.6 +/- 0.73 mg/g). The iodine value of Hura oil was found to be 65.62 +/- 0.73%. A low peroxide value (6.6 +/- 0.2 mg/g) was observed in Hura oil. The results showed that H. crepitans seed contains 328.1 IU of vitamin A/100 g, 0.398 mg of vitamin E/100 g, and 0.26 mg of vitamin K/100 g. The results also showed that H. crepitans seed is very rich in glutamate (14.41 g/100 g of protein) and deficient in cysteine (0.78 g/100 g of protein). Among the essential amino acids, arginine has the highest value (5.97 g/100 g of protein). This is followed by leucine, at 4.16 g/100 g of protein. Therefore, H. crepitans seed is a nutritionally promising seed.

Individual cooked foods (104) and composite meals (92) were examined for agreement between nutritive value estimated by indirect analysis (E) (Indian National database of nutrient composition of raw foods, adjusted for observed moisture contents of cooked recipes), and by chemical analysis in our laboratory (M). The extent of error incurred in using food table values with moisture correction for estimating macro as well as micronutrients at food level and daily intake level was quantified. Food samples were analyzed for contents of iron, zinc, copper, beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, ascorbic acid, folic acid and also for macronutrients, phytate and dietary fiber. Mean percent difference in energy content between E and M was 3.07+/-0.6%, that for protein was 5.3+/-2.0%, for fat was 2.6+/-1.8% and for carbohydrates was 5.1+/-0.9%. Mean percent difference in vitamin contents between E and M ranged from 32 (vitamin C) to 45.5% (beta-carotene content); and that for minerals between 5.6 (copper) to 19.8% (zinc). Percent E/M were computed for daily nutrient intakes of 264 apparently healthy adults. These were observed to be 108, 112, 127 and 97 for energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates respectively. Percent E/M for their intakes of copper (102) and beta-carotene (114) were closer to 100 but these were very high in the case of zinc (186), iron (202), and vitamins C (170), thiamine (190), riboflavin (181) and folic acid (165). Estimates based on food composition table values with moisture correction show macronutrients for cooked foods to be within +/- 5% whereas at daily intake levels the error increased up to 27%. The lack of good agreement in the case of several micronutrients indicated that the use of Indian food tables for micronutrient intakes would be inappropriate.

Background: Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter leaf) is popularly consumed in many homes in Nigeria as a vegetable in soup preparation, while the infusion is used in folk medicine in the treatment of malaria fever. In this study, fresh leaves of Vernonia amygdalina were subjected to abrasion (to remove the bitter taste) as is normally done in soup preparation, subsequently the nutrient, anti-nutrient and zinc bioavailability of the processed and unprocessed leaf were determined. The heamolytic effect of the leaf infusion on human erythrocytes (Genotype-SS, AS, AA) was also determined., Result: The study revealed that Vernonia amygdalina leaf has high protein (33.3%), fat (10.1%), crude fibre (29.2%), ash (11.7%), mineral (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn & Fe), phytate (1015.4mg/100g) and tannin (0.6%) content, while it contain low cyanide (1.1mg/kg). Abrasion of the leaf caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in both the nutrient and antinutrient content of the leaf except in carbohydrate where there was a significant increase (P<0.05) and Mg where there was no significant change (P>0.05). The result of the calculated [Ca][phytate]/ [Zn] molar ratio (the best index for the prediction of Zn bioavailability) indicated that the phytate content of both the processed and unprocessed Vernonia amygdalina leaf will not reduce the Zn content to a critical level (0.5mol./kg). Further studies on the leaf revealed that the infusion induced the haemolysis of human erythrocyte (In vitro). Human genotype-SS (1024) were highly susceptible to haemolysis induced by Vernonia amygdalina infusion, genotype-AS moderately susceptible (512) while genotype-AA (256) is highly resistant to haemolysis induced by the same infusion., Conclusion: Bitter leaf has high nutrient and antinutrient content, however, abrasion will bring about a significant decrease (P<0.05) in both. The infusion of the Vernonia amygdalina leaf induces the haemolysis of mammalian erythrocyte in vitro, with Human-SS having the highest susceptibility.

The composition of glyphosate-tolerant (Roundup Ready) corn event NK603 was compared with that of conventional corn grown in the United States in 1998 and in the European Union in 1999 to assess compositional equivalence. Grain and forage samples were collected from both replicated and nonreplicated field trials, and compositional analyses were performed to measure proximates, fiber, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamin E, nine minerals, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitor, and secondary metabolites in grain as well as proximates and fiber in forage. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted to assess statistical significance at the p < 0.05 level. The values for all of the biochemical components assessed for corn event NK603 were similar to those of the nontransgenic control or were within the published range observed for nontransgenic commercial corn hybrids. In addition, the compositional profile of Roundup Ready corn event NK603 was compared with that of traditional corn hybrids grown in Europe by calculating a 99% tolerance interval to describe compositional variability in the population of traditional corn varieties in the marketplace. These comparisons, together with the history of the safe use of corn as a common component of animal feed and human food, support the conclusion that Roundup Ready corn event NK603 is compositionally equivalent to, and as safe and nutritious as, conventional corn hybrids grown commercially today.

The effects of cooking treatments (boiling, autoclaving and microwave cooking) and germination on the nutritional composition and antinutritional factors of chickpeas were studied. Cooking treatments and/or germination caused significant (p < 0.05) decreases in fat, total ash, carbohydrate fractions, antinutritional factors, minerals and B-vitamins. Germination was less effective than cooking treatments in reducing trypsin inhibitor, hemagglutinin activity, tannins and saponins; it was more effective in reducing phytic acid, stachyose and raffinose. Cooking treatments and germination decreased the concentrations of lysine, tryptophan, total aromatic and sulfur-containing amino acids. However, cooked and germinated chickpeas were still higher in lysine, isoleucine and total aromatic amino acid contents than the FAO/WHO reference. The losses in B-vitamins and minerals in chickpeas cooked by microwaving were smaller than in those cooked by boiling and autoclaving. Germination resulted in greater retention of all minerals and B-vitamins compared to cooking treatments. In vitro protein digestibility, protein efficiency ratio and essential amino acid index were improved by all treatments. The chemical score and limiting amino acid of chickpeas subjected to the various treatments varied considerably, depending on the type of treatment. Based on these results, microwave cooking appears to be the best alternative for legume preparation in households and restaurants.

The effect of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) processing methods on the nutritive utilization of calcium and phosphorus and on phytic acid, a seed component that affects mineral utilization, was studied. Chemical and biological methods were used for nutritional determinations in growing rats. The digestive utilization of calcium from raw chickpea was adequate for growing rats; however, processing resulted in a slight decrease. The metabolic utilization of chickpea calcium was low because of the low rates of net absorption. This was reflected in the decreased calcium levels in longissimus dorsi muscle in the absence of mobilization of calcium from the femur. Soaking in acid solution followed by cooking decreased phytic acid content, suggesting that processing made part of the phytic acid phosphorus available. The absorbed phosphorus was greater than the nonphytic phosphorus supplied by the diet. The digestive utilization of phosphorus was similar in processed and raw chickpeas, despite the loss of soluble anion as a result of processing. These results may indicate the contribution of phosphorus in the form of inositol hexaphosphate-phosphorus.

Five greengram varieties, viz. Mg 161, M3, Co2, Pusa 8793 and Pusa baisakhi, were analyzed for phytic acid, tannic acid and trypsin activity. Significant varietal variation in tannin (310 to 400 mg percent), phytic acid (201.33 to 265.33 mg percent) and trypsin inhibitor activity (55.74 to 97.70 TIU/mg) were observed.

As the search for alternative sources of food to alleviate hunger continues, this study was undertaken to determine the biological value in growing rats (BV) of proteins of some lesser known tropical seeds gathered in Nigeria. Antinutritional factors (trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, oxalate, tannin, alkaloids) and amino acid compositions were also determined, and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) was calculated using the amino acid requirement pattern of the preschool child and individual seed-specific correction factors for crude protein. A rat growth and balance study was conducted to determine digestibility, nitrogen-, and energy balance by feeding as the only unsupplemented protein source milled and heat-treated seeds of Adansonia digitata (Bombacaceae) and Prosopis africana, Lonchocarpus sericeus, Enterolobium cyclocarpium, Sesbania pachycarpa and Pterocarpus osun (Leguminosae) in comparison to casein fortified with methionine (control). Diets containing P. africana and L. sericeus seeds caused poor feed intake and weight loss in rats and were excluded from the nitrogen-balance test. Among the seed samples, S. pachycarpa followed by A. digitata showed the most advantageous nutritional quality [amino acid composition, digestibility, BV and net protein utilization (NPU)]. True digestibility was 82.9 and 74.5 vs. 98.5, BV was 64.6 and 70.0 vs. 90.4, and NPU was 53.5 and 52.1 vs. 89.0 for S. pachycarpa and A. digitata vs. casein (control), respectively. In terms of PDCAAS, lysine was the first limiting amino acid for S. pachycarpa (88%) and for A. digitata (58%). The PDCAAS of all essential amino acids was below 100% for E. cyclocarpium (e.g., cysteine + methionine: 37%) and for P. africana (e.g., threonine: 46%, except valine and a very high content of cysteine and methionine). In conclusion, all seeds tested in the rat balance trial were of inferior quality compared to casein. Before these tropical seeds could be used as food components or feed supplements, safety studies and proper processing to remove antinutritional factors and possible toxic constituents were required.

The effect of soaking, cooking and autoclaving on the levels of certain antinutritional factors present in the tribal pulse, Mucuna pruriens, were studied. The amount of reduction of total free phenolics was found to be greater in sodium bicarbonate solution (56%) compared to distilled water (47%); subjected to cooking and autoclaving these were further reduced to 49%. Autoclaving (45 min) significantly reduced the tannin content (71%). Insignificant reduction in content of L-DOPA was observed in all the processes. Distilled water soaking was found to be ineffective in eliminating lectin activity; whereas very significant reduction was noticed against all the human blood groups ABO without any specificity in samples subjected to cooking and autoclaving. Soaking in distilled water was more effective (27% reduction) than sodium bicarbonate solution (17% reduction) in lowering the contents of phytic acid. Cooking for 90 min and autoclaving for 45 min resulted in eliminating phytic acid to the extent of 18% and 44%, respectively. Loss of HCN was greater under autoclaving (75%) than the other processes studied. Of the three oligosaccharides analysed, soaking effected maximum reduction in the level of stachyose followed by verbascose and raffinose. Autoclaving effected greater reduction (59-81%) compared to ordinary cooking (40-60% reduction). Of all the different treatments studied, autoclaving seemed to be the best method in eliminating the investigated antinutrients more efficiently except L-DOPA.

Effects of soaking, cooking and autoclaving on changes in polyphenols, phytohaemagglutinating activity, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), oligosaccharides and in vitro protein digestibility were investigated in seeds of Dolichos lablab var. vulgaris. Both distilled water and NaHCO3 solution soaking and autoclaving significantly reduced the contents of total free phenolics (85-88%) compared to raw seeds. Autoclaving (45 min) reduced the content of tannins by upto 72%. Soaking seemed to have limited effect in eliminating phytohaemagglutinating activity, whereas autoclaving (45 min) seemed to eliminate the haemagglutinating activity completely. The reduction in content of phytic acid was found to be some what greater in distilled water soaking (28%) compared to NaHCO3 solution soaking (22%). Only a limited loss in content of phytic acid was observed under cooking as well as autoclaving. Loss of HCN was greater under autoclaving (87%) compared to the other processes studied. Of the three sugars analysed, soaking reduced the level of verbascose more than that of stachyose and raffinose. Autoclaving reduced the content of oligosaccharides more efficiently (67-86%) than ordinary cooking (53-76%). Autoclaving improved the in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) significantly (13%). Of all the different water and hydrothermal treatments studied autoclaving seemed to be the most efficient method in improving IVPD and eliminating the antinutrients investigated except phytic acid.

Anti-nutritional factors of developing seeds and pod walls of fenugreek were evaluated which affect their nutritional value. Sucrose, raffinose and stachyose decreased with maturity of seeds in all the cultivars. Total, non-reducing sugars increased and reducing sugars decreased at maturity in all the cultivars. The reducing sugars decreased with maturity of pod walls. The flatus producing sugars were maximum in PEB pod walls. Saponin content increased towards maturity of seeds but decreased at maturity of seeds and decreased at maturity in pod walls of all cultivars. Phytate increased with seed maturity up to 95 days after anthesis, while phytate decreased in pod walls of all the cultivars with maturity. Total phenol, catechol and flavonol decreased with advancement of pod wall development. Total phenol decreased except HM 46 a maturity of seeds.

The nutrient and antinutrient components of tubers from seven cultivars of Dioscorea alata were determined. The average crude protein content of D. alata tubers was 7.4%. Starch (75.6-84.3%) was the predominant fraction of the tuber dry matter. Significant differences in crude protein and starch contents were observed among cultivars. Vitamin C content of the yam tubers ranged from 13.0 to 24.7 mg/100 g fresh weight. The results showed yams to be reasonably good sources of minerals. Phytic acid contents of the yams were low, with values ranging from 58.6 to 198.0 mg/100 g dry matter. Total oxalate levels in yam tubers were found to be in the range of 486-781 mg/100 g dry matter, but may not constitute a nutritional concern since 50-75% of the oxalates were in the water-soluble form. The overall results are suggestive of the nutritional superiority of yams compared to other tropical root crops.

Influence of six (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60%) levels of bruchids infestation on the contents of selected antinutritional factors-phytic acid, saponins, trypsin inhibitors activity (TIA) of three (chickpea, red gram, and green gram) pulses was studied. Comparisons of infested samples were made with uninfested controls of each pulse. The three antinutritional factors viz TIA, phytic acid and saponins were found to increase with the increase in the level of infestation. All the control pulse values of the phytic acid, saponins and TIA were significantly lower than those of the infested samples. Barring a few exceptions, the differences in the contents of antinutritional factors in pulses infested at different levels were significant (P < 0.05).

Nutrient composition of eight commonly consumed spices of South India was analysed. Spices analysed were red chillies (Capsicum annum), black pepper (Piper nigrum), coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum), cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), garlic (Allium sativum), asafoetida (Ferula foetida), dry ginger (Zingiber officinale) and ajowan (Carum copticum). The nutrients analysed were proximate principles, minerals, starch, sugars, dietary fibre components, tannins, phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and amino acids. Dry ginger, ajowan and asafoetida had high calcium (1.0-1.5%) and iron (54-62 mg/100 g) levels. The tannin content of spices was also high (0.9-1.3% DM). Dietary fibre ranged from 14-53%. Spices had appreciable amounts of essential amino acids like lysine and threonine. A survey revealed the average per capita consumption of spices to be 9.54 g and at that level, the nutrient contribution from spices ranged from 1.2 to 7.9% of an average adult Indian male's requirement for different nutrients.