EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON STARCH DIGESTIBILITY IN SOME LEGUMES - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

The effect of processing treatments on the rate of starch digestibilit y in three legumes, viz., bengal gram (Cicer arietinum L.), cowpea (Vi gna unguiculata) and green gram (Vigna radiata) was studied using an i n vitro dialysis system. The processes studied were fermentation, germ ination, pressure cooking and roasting. The released sugars measured a s glucose equivalents after 3 h digestion were expressed as digestibil ity index (DI). All the processing treatments except roasting, increas ed the rate of starch digestibility in all the three legumes. Subseque nt cooking of the germinated/fermented legumes lead to a further incre ase in starch digestibility. The results of the study indicate that 's low release' property of legumes is heat labile and that loss of this property is independent of macro-nutrient and starch content.