Long-term storage affects on the phenolic, mineral, color and cooking traits of chickpea seed

This study was carried out to investigate the changes in some phenolic, mineral, color and cooking traits of chickpea seeds stored at different temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20 degrees C) and duration (0-540 days). Significant variations in the investigated traits were found statistically before and after storage. The investigation revealed that gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper concentrations reduced at the end of the storage. Significant fluctuations in seed moisture content were observed depending on storage temperature and duration. Storage duration affected all color parameters except L* value, but storage interaction only influenced the a* value. According to correlation analysis, cooking time significantly correlated with hydration capacity and hydration index increased at the end of the storage. The eigenvalues of the first three principal components explained 80% and 75.1% of cumulative variances of mineral composition and cooking traits, respectively. In the biplot analysis, the Ca, Zn, Cu and Mg vectors revealed a high positive correlation with each other. The results of this study clearly revealed that 5 or 10 degrees C low storage temperature and 300-day storage period were the most suitable to maintain the quality of chickpea seeds. These findings could assist in providing information for the seed industry in maintaining nutritional composition for indication of storability and quality of chickpea seed, which in turn benefit the postharvest decisions for storage, distribution, and marketing.