EFFECT OF STORAGE ON PECTIN, PHYTIC ACID AND MINERALS IN CHICKPEA (CICER-ARIETINUM L.)

Fresh and one year stored seeds of desi and kabuli chickpeas were asse ssed for hard-to-cook defect by determining changes in cooking time, p hytic add, minerals namely potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium a nd pectin contents. Cooking time increased significantly during storag e and kabuli chickpea took higher cooking time. Except polygalacturona se, hard-to-cook chickpeas exhibited higher values for insoluble pecti n and its equivalent weight, mythoxyl content and pectin methyl estera se accompanied by phytate catabolism. Mostly the contents of P, K and Ca were higher in fresh kabuli chickpeas as compared to their counterp arts.