EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON STARCH DIGESTIBILITY IN SOME LEGUMES - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

The effect of processing treatments on the rate of starch digestibility in three legumes, viz., bengal gram (Cicer arietinum L.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and green gram (Vigna radiata) was studied using an in vitro dialysis system. The processes studied were fermentation, germination, pressure cooking and roasting. The released sugars measured as glucose equivalents after 3 h digestion were expressed as digestibility index (DI). All the processing treatments except roasting, increased the rate of starch digestibility in all the three legumes. Subsequent cooking of the germinated/fermented legumes lead to a further increase in starch digestibility. The results of the study indicate that 'slow release' property of legumes is heat labile and that loss of this property is independent of macro-nutrient and starch content.