Application of high-pressure processing for preservation of germinated legumes

High-pressure processing on germinated legume seeds (pea, chickpea, lentil, green gram) was studied. Total microflora was decreased: in three days germinated pea seeds decreased from 2.4 x 10(6) CFU/g to less than 10; in two days germinated chickpea seeds decreased from 1.6 x 10(5) CFU/g to less than 10; in three days geminated lentil seeds decreased from 3.4 x 10(7) CFU/g to less than 10; and in three days germinated green gram decreased from 1.4 x 10(9) to 1.8 X 10(2) after treatment of high pressure 500 MPa for 10 min. High pressure treated germinated seeds were stored in tap water (pea) and in citric acid pickle pH = 2.5 (chickpea) or pH = 2.0 (lentil, green gram) at 4-8 degrees C. The total microfilora increased during 21 days storage in pressurized germinated pea seeds to 7.5 x 10(4) CFU/g and in green gram to 3.5 x 10(5). The contents of microorganisms in pressurized germinated chickpea and lentil seeds were under detection limits of methods used.