THE EFFECT OF COOKING, AUTOCLAVING AND GERMINATION ON THE NUTRITIONALQUALITY OF FABA BEANS

The nutritive value of raw, cooked, autoclaved and germinated faba bea n was evaluated. Heat processing and germination, resulted in signific ant reduction in stachyose, tannins, phytic acid, vicine, trypsin inhi bitor and haemagglutinin activity. Germination was more effective in r educing stachyose than heat processing. Heat processing was more effec tive in reducing the tannins, trypsin inhibitor and haemagglutinin act ivity. Heat processing and germination did not affect the total essent ial amino acids. Heat processing increased the contents of leucine, th reonine and histidine. Sulphur containing amino acids were the first l imiting amino acids, while valine was the second limiting one. The in- vitro protein digestibility and PER value of faba bean were improved b y heat processing and germination. Pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and ri boflavin were more stable to heat processing than niacin and thiamine. The retention of B-group vitamins in germinated faba bean was higher than in heat treated faba bean. There was a slight change in the miner al content by the heat processing with the exception of K and Ca. Germ inated faba bean showed noticeable decreases in the contents of Na, K, Cu, Mn and Mg and increases in Zn and Fe.