Effects of seed treatments and storage on the changes in lipids of pearl millet meal

Lipids in pearl millet meal showed a rapid hydrolytic decomposition during storage. The magnitude of such degradation was influenced significantly by the nature of the storage container used, the temperature and heat treatments given to the seeds. The hydrolytic breakdown of lipids was significantly low in the meals stored in polyethylene bags, plastic boxes and under refrigerated (5±2 °C) conditions. Hot water blanching at 98 °C for 10 sec and dry heating of seeds at 100 °C for 120 min were found to be most effective in minimising the undesirable changes in lipids of the meal during storage.     

Nutritional quality of some improved cultivars of cowpea

The seeds of 13 improved cowpea cultivars were analysed for proximate composition, methionine, tryptophan and polyphenols. Considerable genetic variations were observed for the contents of protein, nonprotein nitrogen, limiting amino acids and polyphenols. The globulins contributed about 50% of the total seed proteins. A significant proportion of proteins of high protein cultivars was found to be insoluble. The proteins of most of the cultivars were found deficient in methionine and tryptophan. Methionine and tryptophan levels were negatively correlated with protein and positively correlated with carbohydrate contents. The cultivars with colored seed coats contained higher amounts of polyphenols. The difference in polyphenol content between various cultivars were due to seed coat polyphenols.