A PRELIMINARY-STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF GERMINATION ON SAPONIN CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF LENTILS AND CHICKPEAS

Two cultivars of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) and one cultivar of lenti ls (Lens culinaris) were subjected to germination in the dark for 6 da ys at 20 degrees C. Soyasaponin VI, also known as soyasaponin beta g, a DDMP- ,3-dihydro-2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one-) conjugated form of soyasaponin I, was the only saponin detected in both the unpro cessed and germinated seed, No significant changes in saponin content were observed for chickpeas or lentils after a 6-day germination.