EFFECT OF SOAKING, COOKING AND AUTOCLAVING ON PHYTIC ACID AND OLIGOSACCHARIDE CONTENTS OF THE TRIBAL PULSE, MUCUNA-MONOSPERMA DC EX WIGHT

The effects of soaking, cooking and autoclaving on the levels of phyti c acid and oligosaccharides, raffinose, stachyose and verbascose, pres ent in two germplasm seed materials of Mucuna monosperma collected fro m Kerala and Tamil Nadu states, were investigated. The loss of phytic acid was found to be higher in distilled water soaking compared to sal t water soaking in Kerala germplasm. There was no significant reductio n in content of raffinose during soaking in distilled water in Tamil N adu germplasm. Cooking for 3 h effected significant reduction of phyti c acid, raffinose, stachyose and verbascose in both the germplasms stu died. The percentage loss of oligosaccharides with autoclaving was hig her than with cooking. These results revealed that autoclaving was mor e effective in eliminating the contents of phytic acid and oligosaccha rides, in both the germplasms of the Indian tribal pulse, Mucuna monos perma, presently studied.