EFFECT OF TEMPERING AND END MOISTURE-CONTENT ON THE QUALITY OF MICRONIZED LENTILS

The use of micronization (infrared treatment) on grain legumes tempere d with water has potential for reducing cooking times. Using Laird len tils, the effects of tempering conditions and moisture content followi ng micronization were evaluated in terms of color, chemical properties and texture after 15 min cooking. The texture of cooked lentils softe ned as tempering moisture increased. This was related to increasing st arch gelatinization and decreasing protein solubility during microniza tion. Changes in the pectic substances did not appear to influence tex ture. The reduction in hardness indicates that shorter cooking times a re required for samples micronized under high moisture conditions. Len til color changed slightly under these high moisture conditions as evi denced by the Hunterlab readings. (C) 1998 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.