CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, AMINO ACID PROFILE AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF GERMINATED MUNG BEANS (VIGNA RADIATA)

Mung bean variety Kampangsean 2 was analyzed during 24-h germination period. Total phenolic content and crude protein content of germinated beans significantly increased with increasing germination period. The 24-h germinated mung beans showed the highest crude protein content but not significantly different compared to that of the 18-h germinated bean. The increase in crude protein content was due to an increase in nonprotein nitrogen, not the protein nitrogen. During germination, the amount of proteins with molecular weight of 20, 29 and 36 kDa gradually decreased. Germination caused an increase in certain amino acids especially phenylalanine. Tryptophan was found to be a limiting amino acid. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of germinated mung beans increased to 31.23 and 61.27%, respectively, after germination for 24 h. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and FRAP decreased about 10 and 20%, respectively, after steaming for 10 min.