Antinutritional factors of chickpea and pigeonpea and their removal by processing

Protease inhibitors, amylase inhibitors, phytolectins, polyphenols, and oligosaccarides are important antinutritional factors of chickpea and pigeonpea. Research on these factors is reviewed and compared to those in other grain legumes. Both chickpea and pigeonpea are consumed in various forms as processed food. The effects of such processing practices as cooking, germination, and fermentation to reduce the levels of these antinutritional factors are also discussed.     

Effect of heat treatment on the proximate composition,energy values,and levels of some toxicants in African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) seed varieties

The effects of heat treatments on the proximate composition, energy content, and levels of some antinutritional factors in brown and marble-colored African yam bean (AYB) seed flours were investigated. In raw brown and marble-colored AYB seed flours; moisture content, dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, ash, total carbohydrate and caloric value did not differ significantly at the 5% level. Autoclaving and cooking slightly increased the moisture level. Crude protein, crude fat, and ash contents were decreased by autoclaving and were further decreased by cooking. The decrease was not, however, considerable for the AYB that is not eaten raw and whose full nutritional potential as a legume can be derived only when heat treated, as previous reports have indicated for legume seeds.The levels of the toxicants were generally higher in the raw brown AYB compared to the marble-colored, and were generally reduced by both autoclaving and cooking. In the most commonly available and consumed marble-colored AYB, autoclaving at 121 ^°C, 15 psi for 20 min decreased cyanogenic glycosides by 46%, oxalate by 48.9%, tannin by 15.0%, saponin by 14.8% and trypsin inhibitors by 61.3% while cooking for 3.5 hours in tap water decreased these toxic factors by 66.5%, 70.3%, 72.2%, 48.7%, and 86.0%, respectively.The results indicate that for raw samples, varietal difference did not significantly affect nutrient composition though the toxicants were generally higher in the brown AYB than the marble-colored. Autoclaving decreased both nutrient value and the level of toxicants in the two seed types; values were further reduced by cooking. Of the toxicants, trypsin inhibitor was found to be the most heat-labile and of the heat treatment methods, cooking to tenderness is recommendable.     

Evaluation of the effect of processing techniques on the nutrient and antinutrient contents of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) seeds

This work was undertaken to evaluate the effect of soaking, sprouting, cooking and fermentation or their combinations on the nutrient and antinutrient contents of pearl millet seeds. Standard assay procedures were adopted to determine both the nutrient and the antinutrient concentrations of the products. The synergistic effect of cooking and fermentation improved the nutrient quality. The antinutrients were reduced to safe levels to a greater extent than did any of the other processing techniques or their combinations employed.     

Composition and variation in vitamin C,carotenoids, protein,nitrate and oxalate contents inCelosia leaves

Twenty two lines/accessions belonging to 5 species ofCelosia were analysed for their nutritional and antinutritional composition. The nutrient contents, vitamin C varied from 18.8 to 53.6 mg/100 g, carotenoids 9.1 to 15.1 mg/100g, protein 2.1 to 5.9%, while the antinutritional factors, nitrate 0.18 to 0.46% and oxalate 0.98 to 3.93%. Moisture ranged 81 to 89%. Variation of these parameters with leaf position and the amino acids profile of some promising lines was also evaluated.     

Tannins in forage plants and their role in animal husbandry and environmental sustainability: a review

The literature about tannins, polyphenolic secondary metabolites of plants, with both beneficial and adverse function according to their concentration and chemical structure, is vast and often conflicting. Tannins in forages have often been described as antinutritional factors, but this review aims to update information on beneficial effects on animals and the environment. Although research on the relation between tannins and animal production and health, for example, dry‐matter intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and diseases, has mainly focused on condensed tannins, this review also discusses potential benefits from the use of hydrolysable tannins as a feed additive. Attention is given to the use of tannins in the mitigation of methane emissions from ruminants in forage‐based feeding systems and as a natural and ecologically friendly resource for improvement of nutrient utilization and environmental sustainability in meat and dairy farming.     

Soaking and cooking parameters of tepary beans: effects of cooking time and cooking temperature on hardness and activity of nutritional antagonists

Tepary samples were examined for patterns of hydration, dry matter losses during the processes of soaking and cooking, residual hardness in partially cooked samples and heat lability of endogenous proteinaceous antinutritional factors. At 24 °C, teparies imbibed water equivalent to their weight (100% hydration) in 4 h and continued to absorb water rapidly for an additional 4 h before reaching an equilibrium hydration. During the processes of soaking and cooking, materials leached from raw beans represented 7.3 and 13.5% of their dry weight, 4.3 and 12.4% of their protein content, 7.1 and 12.2% of their stored carbohydrate and 22.4 and 33.4% of their mineral levels, respectively. In samples prepared at different cooking times (60, 90, 120, 150, 180 min) and cooking temperatures (80, 85, 90, 95°C), longer times and higher temperatures resulted in greater reductions in residual bean hardness; interactive effects of time and temperature treatments were significant. Residual activity of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors in partially-cooked samples appeared to be negligible. In addition, at least 80% of the original hemaglutinating activity of lectins in raw beans was lost during partial-cooking of samples under all cooking regimes.     

Nutritional composition and antinutritional factors of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) undergoing different cooking methods and germination

The effects of cooking treatments (boiling, autoclaving and microwavecooking) and germination on the nutritional composition and antinutritionalfactors of chickpeas were studied. Cooking treatments and/or germinationcaused significant (p < 0.05) decreases in fat, total ash, carbohydratefractions, antinutritional factors, minerals and B-vitamins. Germination wasless effective than cooking treatments in reducing trypsin inhibitor,hemagglutinin activity, tannins and saponins; it was more effective inreducing phytic acid, stachyose and raffinose. Cooking treatments andgermination decreased the concentrations of lysine, tryptophan, totalaromatic and sulfur-containing amino acids. However, cooked andgerminated chickpeas were still higher in lysine, isoleucine and totalaromatic amino acid contents than the FAO/WHO reference. The lossesin B-vitamins and minerals in chickpeas cooked by microwaving weresmaller than in those cooked by boiling and autoclaving. Germination resultedin greater retention of all minerals and B-vitamins compared to cookingtreatments. In vitro protein digestibility, protein efficiency ratio andessential amino acid index were improved by all treatments. The chemicalscore and limiting amino acid of chickpeas subjected to the varioustreatments varied considerably, depending on the type of treatment. Basedon these results, microwave cooking appears to be the best alternative forlegume preparation in households and restaurants.     

Use of two varieties of hard-to-cook beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) in the processing of koki (a steamed legume product)

Koki is a nutritious cowpea-based food product usually processed by steam cooking whipped cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) paste mixed with spices and palm oil. A study was carried out to investigate the effect of the partial replacement of cowpeas (CP) with hard-to-cook (HTC) beans on the chemical, nutritional and sensory characteristics of koki. Towards this objective, two varieties of beans – Phaseolus vulgaris (red kidney beans – RKB and mottled brown beans – MBB), each with the HTC defect, were separately incorporated into cowpea paste in the following Bean:CP ratios 0:100, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40 and processed into koki. Incorporation of dry HTC beans into cowpeas in the making of koki affected the bulking properties of the uncooked paste, the nutrient composition, essential amino acid content, antinutritional factors, digestibility as well as the sensory attributes of cooked koki. Sensory tests showed that a highly acceptable, nutritious and digestible koki can be processed from cowpeas partially replaced with dry HTC bean paste up to levels of about 40–50% depending on the variety of dry bean used.     

The presence and inactivation of trypsin inhibitors,tannins, lectins and amylase inhibitors in legume seeds during germination. A review

During the germination of legume seeds, enzymes become active in order to degrade starch, storage-protein and proteinaceous antinutritional factors. The degradation of storage-protein is necessary to make peptides and amino acids available in order to stimulate seed growth and early plant growth. Proteinaceous antinutritional factors such as amylase inhibitors, lectins and trypsin inhibitors are present in legume seeds and protect them against predators. However, during germination, they degrade to a lower level by the action of several enzymes. The effect of germination on the content and activity of amylase inhibitors, lectins, tannins and trypsin inhibitors is discussed.     

The chemical composition and nutritional potential of the tribal pulse,Abrus precatorius L.

The boiled seeds of Abrus precatorius L. are eaten by the residents of the Andaman Islands in India. The seeds were analysed for proximate composition, total (true) protein, seed protein fractions, amino acid profile of seed proteins, minerals and certain antinutritional factors. The seed proteins are rich in most of the essential amino acids, and they are deficient only in cystine and threonine, when compared to the WHO/FAO requirement pattern. The antinutritional factors (total free phenols, tannins, trypsin inhibitor activity and haemagglutinating activity) were also investigated.     

Effect of heat treatment and germination on alpha amylase inhibitor activity in chick peas (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chick pea seeds of twenty eight varieties were analysed for alpha amylase inhibitor activity (AIA) using salivary amylase. The effects of heat treatment and germination on the activity of the antinutritional factor was investigated. Heat treatment and germination decreased the activity of amylase inhibitor. Chick pea meal was also subjected to UV irradiation and pressure cooking. These treatments decreased alpha amylase inhibitor activity. The amylase inhibitor activity decreased as the days of germination increased and negligible inhibitor activity was observed on the 6th day of germination.     

Effect of alkali treatments on the nutritive value of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

The effect of alkali treatments of common bean seeds with red seed coat on the stability of antinutritional factors such as tannins, phytates and trypsim inhibitors, vitamins such as niacin and riboflavin and on protein quality has been studied. The samples were processed by soaking and soaking and pressure cooking in alkalies such as sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. At low temperature sodium carbonate and at high temperature sodium bicarbonate were found to be most effective in the extraction of tannins. At both low and high temperatures sodium carbonate was found to be more efficient in destruction of phytates. In the case of trypsin inhibitors, extraction at both low and high temperatures with sodium bicarbonate was most effective. Sodium hydroxide treatment was found to be better as far as the retention of niacin and riboflavin was considered.     

Effect ofCallosobruchus chinensis (Bruchid) infestation on antinutritional factors in stored legumes

Effect of bruchid infestation on selected antinutritional factors, saponin, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor activities, of three (mung bean, chickpea and pigeon pea) legumes stored for six months was studied. The three antinutritional factors, saponin, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), increased with increased storage period. Saponin, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor activity values were significantly lower in control samples compared to stored infested samples. The difference between the contents of antinutritional factors were significant (p<0.05) during different storage periods.     

Research progress of vegetable oil and derivative in microbial fermentation for high-value-added metabolite production

Vegetable oil and derivative,as well as waste cooking oil,are important resources for microbial fermentation to produce high-value-added metabolites.Diversity of their compositions not only provides more choices for the fermentation by different microorganisms,but also is a challenge for their systematic utilization.According to the previous literature,4 main functions of vegetable oil and derivative can be summarized,such as carbon source,precursor,inducer and cell protectant during fermentation process.Currently,there is still insufficient knowledge about application of vegetable oil and derivative for high-value-added metabolite production.Therefore,this article firstly presented a comprehensive summary of compositions of vegetable oils and their derivatives,variety of corresponding microbial metabolites,limiting factors and optimization of fermentation process.     

Tannins,Trypsin Inhibitors and Lectin Cytotoxicity in Tepary (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus acutifolius</Emphasis>) and Common (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis>) Beans

This study compared the levels of antinutritional components and cytotoxic effect of extracts, from tepary (Phaseolus acutifolius) and common (Phaseolus vulgaris) beans. Antinutritional factors were evaluated by determining their effect on the viability of epithelial cells isolated from rat small intestine. The protein and carbohydrates content were similar in all the genotypes studied (20 and 60%, respectively). Common beans presented higher content of trypsin inhibitors, tannins and lectins than tepary beans. There was not a significant correlation between tannins and cooking time. However, water absorption and cooking time correlated significantly (p < 0.05). Considerable variation was observed in lectin activity (1302–18161 Ul/mg) of extracts from different beans. Tannins, lectins, trypsin inhibitors and fat content differed between bean varieties whereas protein content was similar. The percent cellularity on rat epithelial cells was significantly different among protein extracts from different bean cultivars and ranged between 53.5% and 87.4% (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the incorporation of tepary beans in the diet would not alter the current nutritional contribution of common beans or introduce adverse toxic effects. The agronomic characteristics of tepary beans make them attractive for cultivation. However, the harder to cook phenomenon may be a limiting factor that needs further consideration.     

Effect of nixtamalization process on the content and composition of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of two sorghums varieties

Sorghum, a competitive crop due to its agronomical advantages, has gained interest as functional food. Sorghum contains phytochemicals with health benefits and presents some antinutritional compounds such as condensed tannins (CTs). However, it is well known that CTs exhibit antioxidant capacity. This study evaluated the effect of Mexican nixtamalization on total phenols, CTs and antioxidant capacity using two varieties of sorghum. Different conditions of lime (0, 1 and 2%) and cooking time (20, 30 and 40 min) were tested to obtain the best treatment after optimization using multiple linear regression analysis, aiming to minimize the CTs content and maximize the antioxidant capacity. CTs were reduced at 27% in white sorghum and 90%, in red sorghum. Total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity had an inverse correlation with lime concentration and cooking time. The best conditions for preserving antioxidant capacity with low content of tannins were 1.13% of lime and 31.11 min cooking. The phenolic profile obtained by HPLC showed reductions in gallic and chlorogenic acids only in white sorghum, whereas catechin and quercetin decreased in both varieties. We concluded that nixtamalization effectively reduced CTs to safety intake values, allowing to preserve other phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity.     

Effects of soaking,cooking and fermentation on composition,in-vitro starch digestibility and nutritive value of common beans

A common bean variety, grown in Burundi, was either fermented, soaked and/or cooked, and then assessed for nutrient composition, in-vitro starch digestibility and protein nutritive value. A decrease in ash, most minerals, vitamins, and some essential amino acids was noted for soaked, cooked and soaked-cooked beans. Compared to untreated beans, soaking decreased soluble sugar (9.8 percent) but increased starch (7.3 percent) and soluble fiber (16.9 percent). In cooked beans, an increase in soluble sugar (1.5 percent), and a decrease in thiamine (81.7 percent), starch (24.6 percent) and soluble fiber (16.6 percent) and nitrogen (2.9 percent) contents were observed. Crude fiber (6.9 percent) and starch (10.0 percent) increased while fat (17.6 percent), fatty acids (linoleic: 10.7 percent; linolenic: 14.3 percent) and soluble sugars (25.4 percent) and nitrogen (14.4 percent) decreased in soaked-cooked beans. Fermentation increased potassium (11.6 percent), soluble fiber (18.9 percent), and some amino acids but decreased fatty acids (linoleic: 13.5 percent; linolenic: 19.9 percent), soluble sugar (75.2 percent) and vitamin (riboflavin: 41.0 percent; niacin: 24.5 percent) contents in common beans. However, the in-vitro starch digestibility was greatly improved (12.3 percent) by cooking while it decreased in soaked beans (29.2 percent). Soaking-cooking and fermentation did not have any significant effect on the digestibility of common bean starch. Finally, among the five treatments applied to common beans, only fermentation showed a significant improvement (8.3 percent) on the protein nutritive value of this legume.     

Nutritional and antinutritional components of Canavalia spp. seeds from the west coast sand dunes of India

Seeds of two coastal sand dune wild legumes, Canavalia cathartica and Canavalia maritima from the west coast of India were analyzed for their nutritional and antinutritional properties. The seeds contained 35.5 and 34.1% crude protein, 52.8 and 50.5% crude carbohydrates, 1.3 and 1.7% crude lipids and 3.1 and 3.5% ash content, respectively. Among the minerals, potassium was the highest followed by phosphorus. Globulins and albumins constituted the major seed proteins of both plants. Most of the essential amino acids were at adequate levels. Although the crude lipids were below 2%, the unsaturated fatty acids were high. Seeds did not contain tannins and trypsin inhibitors. The levels of total phenolics were low, but showed high hemagglutination activity. The nutritional properties of these seeds have been compared with other Canavalia spp. and wild unconventional or tribal legumes. Overall, the study results suggest that the seeds of C. cathartica and C. maritima possess potential nutritive value particularly higher protein, essential amino acids and low levels of antinutritional factors. These wild legumes are adapted to low nutrient, high saline and drought conditions of the coastal sand dunes; their conservation and domestication are warranted as potential alternative sources of protein.     

Microbial and Biochemical Changes Occurring During Production of masvusvu and mangisi,traditional Zimbabwean beverages

Biochemical and microbiological changes that occur during production of masvusvu and mangisi, both traditional Zimbabwean beverages made from malted finger millet flour were investigated in this study. During cooking to produce masvusvu, amylase was active within the first 20 minutes but its activity decreased drastically at temperatures of above 60 °C. Free reducing sugars increased from 3.8 to 308.1 mg/ml. During fermentation to produce mangisis, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and yeast and molds increased with fermentation time. Total titratable acidity increased from 0.13 to 0.67 percent, lactic acid from 0.51 t 4.10 g/l and pH decreased from 6.10 to 3.98.     

Impact of microwave heating on hemagglutinins,trypsin inhibitors and protein quality of selected legume seeds

Selected legume seeds (dry and soaked) including faba beans, peas, chickpeas, soybeans, lentils and common beans containing 8 and 25% moisture, respectively, were subjected to microwave heating, and to a conventional cooking method to determine the heating effect on toxic compounds and protein quality. Trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins and available lysine were analyzed, and laboratory rats were used to determine digestibility and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Results indicated that microwaving destroyed trypsin inhibitors to a similar degree to that observed in beans cooked using the conventional method without affecting PER for raw seeds with low antinutrients content (faba beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils). Microwave-heated soaked soybeans had a higher amount of destroyed trypsin inhibitors, along with a higher PER, compared with microwave-heated dry soybeans. Microwave heating of common beans failed to destroy hemagglutinins and trypsin inhibitors, and consequently their digestibility and PER values were poor. Finally it was concluded that microwave heating constitutes an adequate method for destroying hemagglutinins and trypsin inhibitors without affecting protein quality of most legume seeds, except for common beans that despite of this process retained the antinutritional substances.