PROTEIN DIGESTIBILITY OF VEGETABLES AND FIELD PEAS (PISUM-SATIVUM) - VARIETAL DIFFERENCES AND EFFECT OF DOMESTIC PROCESSING AND COOKING METHODS

Protein digestibility was found to be 60.4 to 66.5 percent in raw unpr ocessed seeds of different pea cultivars. Protein digestibility (in vi tro) was improved by the common methods of domestic processing and coo king including soaking, dehulling, ordinary cooking, pressure cooking and sprouting of legume grains. Pressure cooking had more pronounced e ffect on protein digestibility followed by ordinary cooking, sprouting , soaking for 18 h and (12 h) and dehulling. Pressure cooking of soake d and dehulled seeds was noticed to give most improved protein digesti bility.