Effect of cultivar and environment on physicochemical and cooking characteristics of field pea (Pisum sativum)

Isolation and characterization of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) seed proteins: Conversion of underutilized by-products of the edible oil industry into food emulsifiers

This study aimed to upcycle a byproduct of the edible oil industry, cold-pressed nettle seed meal (CPNSM), into a plant-based emulsifier, thereby increasing the sustainability of the food system. The protein content of the nettle seed protein (NSP) powder was 48.3% with glutamic acid (16.6%), asparagine (10.7%), and arginine (9.7%) being the major amino acids. NSPs had a denaturation temperature of 66.6 °C and an isoelectric point of pH 4.3. They could be used as emulsifiers to form highly viscous coarse corn oil-in-water emulsions (10% oil, 4% NSP). Nevertheless, 10-fold diluted emulsions exhibited rapid creaming under different pH (2-9), salt (0-500 mM NaCl) and temperature (>40 °C) conditions, but they were relatively stable to aggregation. Our findings suggest that NSPs could be used as emulsifiers in highly viscous or gelled foods, like dressings, sauces, egg, cheese, or meat analogs.

Assessing the yield and nutrient potential of horse gram mutants (Macrotyloma uniflorum Lam. Verdc.) an underutilized legume through a multi-environment-based experiment

The agronomic stability and nutritional importance of 30 (Test genotypes: 29 + Check: 1 = 30) promising horse gram mutants were evaluated in this multi-environment-based experiment (MEE). Attempts were made to (i) identify stable mutants for agronomic traits through AMMI and GGE biplot models, (ii) quantify nutritional traits, (iii) understand the linkage between yield and nutritional traits, and (iv) estimate physical (PP) and cooking properties (CP) of selected genotypes to fix their food-chain usability. The ANOVA of the pooled data exhibited significant differences among environments (E), genotypes (G), and GxE interaction. The combined AMMI and GGE results helped to identify a few good-yielding and stable genotypes (GYSM) (G1, G25, G3, and G27). The yield advantages of these GYSMs over the parent PAIYUR 2 are 42.99%, 34.63%, 28.68%, and 30.59% respectively. The nutrient profiling of mutants revealed (i) a significant coefficient of variation for macronutrients (fat: 29.98%; fibre: 20.72%, and protein: 5.01%), (ii) a good range of variation for micronutrients, and (iii) helped to identify macro (MaNSM) and micro nutrient-specific mutants (MiNSM). The relationship analysis between yield and nutrient traits ascertained that yield had (i) positivity with protein (r2 = 0.69) and negativity for micronutrients except for Mn (r2 = 0.63), Cu (r2 = 0.46), and B (r2 = 0.01) in GYSM, (ii) positivity with protein and fibre in MaNSM, and (iii) negativity with micronutrients in MiNSM. Of the GYSM, G1 and G25 offer scope for commercial exploitation, and their PP and CP analyses revealed that G1 can be used for pastry and baked product preparation while G25 for weaning foods. Cooking time exhibited positivity with seed size parameters and negativity with water absorption capacity (r2 = - 0.53). An LC-MS-MS-based amino acid (AA) fractionation study showed the effect of induced mutagenesis on the contents of amino acids and also revealed the significance of horse gram for its lysine and methionine contents.

Cookability of 24 pea accessions-determining factors and potential predictors of cooking quality

BACKGROUND

Cooking time and cooking evenness are two critical quantities when determining the cooking quality (termed cookability) of pulses. Deciphering which factors contribute to pulse cookability is important for breeding new cultivars, and the identification of potential cookability predictors can facilitate breeding efforts. Seeds from 24 morphologically diverse pea accessions were tested to identify contributing factors and potential predictors of the observed cookability using a Mattson cooker. Size- and weight-based measures were recorded, and seed-coat hardness was obtained with a penetrometer. Content of protein, starch (amylose and amylopectin), and phytate was also determined.

RESULTS

Distinct differences were found between wrinkled and non-wrinkled seeds in terms of water-absorption capacity, seed-coat hardness, and plunger-perforation speed. Potential predictive indicators of cooking time and cooking evenness were seed-coat hardness (r = 0.49 and r = 0.38), relative area gained (r = -0.59 and r = -0.8), and percentage of swelled seeds after soaking (r = -0.49 and r = -0.58), but only for non-wrinkled seeds. Surprisingly, the coefficients of variation for the profile area of both dry and swelled seeds appeared to be potential cookability predictors of all pea types (correlation coefficients around r = 0.5 and supported by principal component analysis). However, no strong correlation was observed between cookability and protein, starch, or phytate levels.

CONCLUSION

Using three types of instruments together with chemical components enabled the identification of novel cookability predictors for both cooking time and cooking evenness in pea. This study unveils the diverse quantitative aspects influencing cookability in pea. Considering both cooking time and cooking evenness, as well as seed-coat hardness, underscores the multifaceted nature of pulse cookability and offers important insights for future breeding strategies to enhance pea cultivars. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Incorporation of pea peel powder: Effect on dough quality, physical properties and shelf life of the cookies

The present study was conducted to utilize the commonly discarded pea processing industrial waste (pea pods) for the development of popularly consumed food as cookies. Sweet and salted cookies were prepared by substituting refined and whole wheat flour with pea pod powder at the levels of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The effect of incorporation of pea pod powder on pasting properties of flour, dough characteristics, physical properties and organoleptic attributes of cookies was studied. With the increase in the level of incorporation of pea peel to wheat flour, water absorption capacity increases by 11-14% and dough development time by 1.8 to 2.3 min but decreased final viscosity by 39-49% and dough stability time by 3 min. Addition of pea peel powder to wheat flour improved the physical properties of cookies. On the basis of organoleptic score and physical properties, 10% substitution of whole wheat flour with pea peel powder was accepted. Addition of 10% pea peel powder to the cookies increased fiber content by 49%, insoluble fiber by 118% and soluble fiber by 77.5%. The optimized sweet and salty cookies were packed in different packaging materials and were stored at ambient conditions for 4 months. Cookies packed in aluminum laminate had shelf life beyond 4 months than other packaging materials. The cookies were organoleptically acceptable among the consumers and were rich in fiber. Thus, pea processing waste could be utilized as an ingredient for the development of nutritionally enriched cheap food products.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05780-6.

Mining nutri-dense accessions from rice landraces of Assam, India

The Indian subcontinent is the primary center of origin of rice where huge diversity is found in the Indian rice gene pool, including landraces. North Eastern States of India are home to thousands of rice landraces which are highly diverse and good sources of nutritional traits, but most of them remain nutritionally uncharacterized. Hence, nutritional profiling of 395 Assam landraces was done for total starch, amylose content (AC), total dietary fiber (TDF), total protein content (TPC), oil, phenol, and total phytic acid (TPA) using official AOAC and standard methods, where the mean content for the estimated traits were found to be 75.2 g/100g, 22.2 g/100g, 4.67 g/100g, 9.8 g/100g, 5.26%, 0.40 GAE g/100g, and 0.34 g/100g for respectively. The glycaemic index (GI) was estimated in 24 selected accessions, out of which 17 accessions were found to have low GI (<55). Among different traits, significant correlations were found that can facilitate the direct and indirect selection such as estimated glycemic index (EGI) and amylose content (-0.803). Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), revealed the similarities/differences in the nutritional attributes. Four principal components (PC) i.e., PC1, PC2, PC3, and PC4 were identified through principal component analysis (PCA) which, contributed 81.6% of the variance, where maximum loadings were from protein, oil, starch, and phytic acid. Sixteen clusters were identified through hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) from which the trait-specific and biochemically most distant accessions could be identified for use in cultivar development in breeding programs.

A Comprehensive Review of Pea (Pisum sativum L.): Chemical Composition, Processing, Health Benefits, and Food Applications

Pisum sativum L., commonly referred to as dry, green, or field pea, is one of the most common legumes that is popular and economically important. Due to its richness in a variety of nutritional and bioactive ingredients, the consumption of pea has been suggested to be associated with a wide range of health benefits, and there has been increasing focus on its potential as a functional food. However, there have been limited literature reviews concerning the bioactive compounds, health-promoting effects, and potential applications of pea up to now. This review, therefore, summarizes the literature from the last ten years regarding the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, processing, health benefits, and potential applications of pea. Whole peas are rich in macronutrients, including proteins, starches, dietary fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides. In addition, polyphenols, especially flavonoids and phenolic acids, are important bioactive ingredients that are mainly distributed in the pea coats. Anti-nutritional factors, such as phytic acid, lectin, and trypsin inhibitors, may hinder nutrient absorption. Whole pea seeds can be processed by different techniques such as drying, milling, soaking, and cooking to improve their functional properties. In addition, physicochemical and functional properties of pea starches and pea proteins can be improved by chemical, physical, enzymatic, and combined modification methods. Owing to the multiple bioactive ingredients in peas, the pea and its products exhibit various health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-renal fibrosis, and regulation of metabolic syndrome effects. Peas have been processed into various products such as pea beverages, germinated pea products, pea flour-incorporated products, pea-based meat alternatives, and encapsulation and packing materials. Furthermore, recommendations are also provided on how to better utilize peas to promote their development as a sustainable and functional grain. Pea and its components can be further developed into more valuable and nutritious products.

Analysis and correlations of the protein content and selected 'antinutrients' of faba beans (Vicia faba) in a German sample set of the cultivation years 2016, 2017, and 2018

BACKGROUND

Faba beans (Vicia faba) experienced a significant revival in cultivation in Western Europe in the last decade. In this study, potential correlations between protein content (PC), trypsin inhibitory activity (TIA), and tannin content were investigated in a large German sample set with bean samples obtained from 50 different farms present in 11 German federal states. Three consecutive cultivation years (2016, 2017, and 2018) were included.

RESULTS

The faba bean samples were grown under real cultivation conditions without any specific experimental design and finally marketed by the farmers. This enabled researchers to identify the relationship and extent of the three quality parameters towards the varying cultivation conditions and practices. Moreover, the correlations observed between the parameters were brought into the context of well-known theoretical plant hypotheses such as the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis (CNBH), the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis (GDBH), as well as the protein competition model (PCM) for evaluating the potential for use in predictions. The study showed a significant negative correlation between PC and tannin content in faba beans over each cultivation year, whereas a positive correlation between TIA and tannin content was found. No clear correlation was observed between PC and TIA.

CONCLUSION

The three plant hypotheses (CNBH, GDBH, and PCM) seem to be not fully valid. Nonetheless, these findings might be a useful guideline for predicting the composition of selected compounds, and sustainable recommendations about cultivation and exploitation for the feed and food sector can be derived. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Biochemical Characterization of Rare and Threatened Local Populations of Peas (Pisum sativum L.) Cultivated in the Arid Region of Southern Tunisia

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important legume for human and animal consumption, cultivated in many temperate regions of the world. In the present investigation, the seeds of twelve pea accessions collected from the arid regions of southern Tunisia, characterized by different colors of flowers and seed coats, were evaluated for their proteins, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. The protein content determined by the Bradford method ranged from 46.91 to 151.08 mg/g DW. The content of total phenol, total flavonoid and condensed tannin, ranging from 36.85 to 102.52 mg GAE/100 g DW, 6.95 to 48.11 mg QE/100 g DW, and 12.37 to 70.43 mg CE/100 g DW, respectively. These parameters were characterized respectively by the following three methods, the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, the aluminum chloride and the vanillin assay. The LC-ESI/MS analysis identified the presence of 8 phenolic acids and 9 flavonoids which quinic acid, protocatechuic acid, hyperoside, and quercetin-3-O-rhamnosidewere detected as the most abundant compounds. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of pea seeds was evaluated by the ABTS+and DPPH tests. Indeed, DPPH and ABTS anti-free radical activity values ranged from 1.92 to 14.11 μmoL TEAC/g DW and 2.3 to 14.95 μmoL TEAC/g DW, respectively. The variability across the assessed traits revealed significant differences as computed by ANOVA tests. Else, the results showed significant correlations between seed coat color, seed shape, flower color and phenolic compounds. Therefore, genotypes characterized by a purple flower, brown seed coat, and wrinkled form had the highest levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis revealed that phenolic compounds presented a strong positive correlation with antioxidant activities, while being negatively correlated with protein content. UPGMA cluster and Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed two main groups. This work highlights the nutritional value of P. sativum seeds as a good source of natural antioxidant compounds that may be useful in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Translocation and chronic effects of microplastics on pea plants (Pisum sativum) in copper-contaminated soil

Microplastics (MPs) released into soil environments, along with the existing pollutants in soil, may have adverse effects on plants. However, the chronic effects of MPs in soils contaminated with heavy metals on crop plants remain unidentified. This study aimed to investigate the chronic effects of MPs (polystyrene, 20 nm) on the reproductive and nutritional status of pea crop plant (Pisum sativum) grown in Cu- (40 mg/kg) and MP-contaminated soils (40, 20 mg/kg). The crop yield reduced in all groups, with an evident decrease in the complex exposure group (comprising MPs and Cu). Moreover, significant changes in plants were identified regarding the weight, color, amino acids, and protein content of peas. Nutrient content in beans increased by MP exposure in single and complex exposure groups. Cu accumulation did not differ in the presence and absence of MPs. Additionally, MPs that infiltrated into incomplete casparian strips during root formation translocated into aerial parts via the apoplast pathway along the cell walls of the vascular bundle. Therefore, long-term exposure to MPs in soil can significantly affect plants while collective application of Cu and MPs imposed severe damage. The changes in the crop quality and nutrient contents may in turn affect human health through the food chain.

The Seed Coat’s Impact on Crop Performance in Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Seed development in angiosperms produces three genetically and developmentally distinct sub-compartments: the embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. The maternally derived seed coat protects the embryo and interacts closely with the external environment especially during germination and seedling establishment. Seed coat is a key contributor to seed composition and an important determinant of nutritional value for humans and livestock. In this review, we examined pea crop productivity through the lens of the seed coat, its contribution to several valued nutritional traits of the pea crop, and its potential as a breeding target. Key discoveries made in advancing the knowledge base for sensing and transmission of external signals, the architecture and chemistry of the pea seed coat, and relevant insights from other important legumes were discussed. Furthermore, for selected seed coat traits, known mechanisms of genetic regulation and efforts to modulate these mechanisms to facilitate composition and productivity improvements in pea were discussed, alongside opportunities to support the continued development and improvement of this underutilized crop. This review describes the most important features of seed coat development in legumes and highlights the key roles played by the seed coat in pea seed development, with a focus on advances made in the genetic and molecular characterization of pea and other legumes and the potential of this key seed tissue for targeted improvement and crop optimization.

Machine learning predictive model for evaluating the cooking characteristics of moisture conditioned and infrared heated cowpea

Cowpea is widely grown and consumed in sub-Saharan Africa because of its low cost and high mineral, protein, and other nutritional content. Nonetheless, cooking it takes considerable time, and there have been attempts on techniques for speeding up the cooking process without compromising its nutritious value. Infrared heating has recently been proposed as a viable way of preparing instantized cowpea grains that take a short amount of time to cook while maintaining desired sensory characteristics. Despite this, only a few studies have shown the impact of moisture, temperature, and cooking time on cooking characteristics such as bulk density, water absorption (WABS), and the pectin solubility of infrared heated cowpea precooked using this technology. Artificial neural network was used as a machine learning tool to study the effect of a prediction model on the infrared heating performance and cooking characteristics of precooked cowpea seeds. With R values of 0.987, 0.991, and 0.938 for the bulk density, WABS, and pectin solubility, respectively, the prediction model created in this study utilizing an artificial neural network (a type of machine learning) outperformed the traditional linear, 2-factor interaction, and quadratic models.

Biochemical composition of selected lines from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) landraces

Present findings revealed a great variation in protein, oil, starch, tannin and phytic acid-like biochemical attributes of sorghum genotypes. GT bi-plot analysis was used for assessment of biochemical analysis results. Sorghum is quite resistant to negative environmental conditions. Thus, it has become the basic source of nutrient in majority of developing countries. It is also used as a supporting product against several diseases. In this study, biochemical composition of new 154 sorghum lines, selected from Turkish sorghum landraces through morphological, biochemical and molecular studies, was determined. Present findings revealed based on average of two years that crude protein content of 80 lines (> 9.65%), digestible protein content of 94 lines (> 56.25%), crude oil content of 75 lines (> 3.87%), resistant starch ratio of 32 lines (> 3.93%), starch content of two lines (> 77.07%) and amylose content of 10 lines (> %25.26) were greater than standard cultivar with the greatest values and amylopectin contents of 74 lines (< 47.75%) were lower than the standard cultivar with the lowest values. As the average of years, phytic acid contents and condense tannins contents of the lines, respectively, varied between 0.02 (IS 12850/1)-6.49% (PI 177161 03/2) and 0.09 (IS 12819/1)-5.38% (PI 255738 02/3). With this study, several sorghum lines superior than the standard cultivars were identified. Those lines can be used for direct cultivar registration in short run and can be used as parent materials in further breeding studies to be conducted for various purposes in long run.

Effect of roasting pulse seeds at different tempering moisture on the flour functional properties and nutritional quality

Knowledge on the functional and nutritional properties of wet roasted pulses can increase the utilization of processed pulses as ingredients in food products. This study investigated the effects of tempering different pulse [chickpea (CP), green lentil (GL), navy bean (NB) and yellow pea (YP)] seeds to 20 or 30% moisture prior to roasting (160℃ for 30 min) on the functional properties and nutritional quality of their resulting flours. The surface charge of each pulse remained the same (p > 0.05) after wet roasting and there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences between the different raw pulse flours. The oil holding capacity (OHC) of GL (~2 g/g) was not improved by wet roasting (p > 0.05) whereas the other pulses generally had better OHC for one or both of the tempering moistures used prior to roasting. Foaming properties of all pulses decreased after heat treatment with the exception of both foaming capacity (107%) and stability (~71%) for GL tempered to 20% moisture prior to roasting (p > 0.05). Raw GL had inferior foaming properties compared to the other raw pulse flours (p < 0.001). Emulsion properties of the wet roasted pulses were similar to those of the control (raw flour) for each pulse. Solubility decreased with roasting regardless of the tempering moisture (p < 0.05) whereas in general the in vitro protein digestibility increased. Small improvements (2.4-6.9% increase) in the in vitro protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score were found for GL and NB tempered to 20% moisture before roasting and roasted YP at either moisture content (p < 0.05). Wet roasting increased (p < 0.05) the rapidly digestible starch content, more so with a tempering moisture of 30%. Overall the results from this study will allow for the utilization of wet roasted pulses as ingredients based on their functional properties and protein quality.

High throughput nutritional profiling of pea seeds using Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy

Seed samples from 117 genetically diverse pea breeding lines were used to determine the robustness of Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (FT-MIR) for the rapid nutritional profiling of seeds. The FT-MIR results were compared to wet chemistry methods for assessing the concentrations of total protein, starch, fiber, phytic acid, and carotenoids in pea seed samples. Of the five partial least square regression models (PLSR) developed, protein, fiber and phytic acid concentrations predicted by the models exhibited correlation coefficients greater than 0.83 when compared with data obtained using the wet chemistry methods for both the calibration and validation sets. The starch PLSR model had a correlation greater than 0.75, and carotenoids had correlation of 0.71 for the validation sets. The methods implemented in this research show the novelty and usefulness of FT-MIR as a simple, fast, and cost-effective technique to determine multiple seed constituents simultaneously.

Effect of Processing Conditions, Biochemical Properties, and Microstructure on Tofu Production from Yellow Field Peas (Pisum sativum)

Tofu, made by coagulating soy milk, is a nutritious food originating in China and is widely consumed globally. Due to allergenicity and consumer perceptions of genetically modified organisms, consumer demand for soy alternatives is increasing. In this study, tofu was made from yellow split peas (Pisum sativum). Effects of pasteurization, fat addition, and curd disruption followed by repressing were studied. Here, disruption was not a chemical disruption, rather a physical disruption of protein curds. Pasteurization alone led to increased uptake of water and nonviable tofus. Disrupted samples became firmer with pasteurization. Texture profile analysis indicated that disruption followed by pasteurization improved hardness from approximately 175 g force from the control, to approximately 325 g force for disrupted + pasteurizated samples without fat addition. A similar trend was observed for samples with fat added, where hardness increased from approximately 50 g force to approximately 75 g force. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of the amide I region showed that an increase of β-sheet structures led to increased hardness. The shifts in β-sheet structures followed the same trends as surface hydrophobicity. Surface hydrophobicity decreased with pasteurization and increased with disruption. Molecular weight analysis showed that shear (from disruption) and heat separately degraded the proteins into smaller polypeptides exposing hydrophobic interiors. Changes to biochemical parameters, such as protein secondary structure and exposure of protein hydrophobic regions, allowed for tofu to be made from yellow field peas. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides critical information and a means to produce pea-based soy-free tofu.

Composition, physicochemical properties of pea protein and its application in functional foods

Field pea is one of the most important leguminous crops over the world. Pea protein is a relatively new type of plant proteins and has been used as a functional ingredient in global food industry. Pea protein includes four major classes (globulin, albumin, prolamin, and glutelin), in which globulin and albumin are major storage proteins in pea seeds. Globulin is soluble in salt solutions and can be further classified into legumin and vicilin. Albumin is soluble in water and regarded as metabolic and enzymatic proteins with cytosolic functions. Pea protein has a well-balanced amino acid profile with high level of lysine. The composition and structure of pea protein, as well as the processing conditions, significantly affect its physical and chemical properties, such as hydration, rheological characteristics, and surface characteristics. With its availability, low cost, nutritional values and health benefits, pea protein can be used as a novel and effective alternative to substitute for soybean or animal proteins in functional food applications.

Pulse Flour Characteristics from a Wheat Flour Miller's Perspective: A Comprehensive Review

Pulses (grain legumes) are increasingly of interest to the food industry as product formulators and consumers seek to exploit their fiber-rich and protein-rich reputation in the development of nutritionally attractive new products, particularly in the bakery, gluten-free, snack, pasta, and noodle categories. The processing of pulses into consistent high-quality ingredients starts with a well-defined and controlled milling process. However, in contrast to the extensive body of knowledge on wheat flour milling, the peer-reviewed literature on pulse flour milling is not as well defined, except for the dehulling process. This review synthesizes information on milling of leguminous commodities such as chickpea (kabuli and desi), lentil (green and red), pea, and bean (adzuki, black, cowpea, kidney, navy, pinto, and mung) from the perspective of a wheat miller to explore the extent to which pulse milling studies have addressed the objectives of wheat flour milling. These objectives are to reduce particle size (so as to facilitate ingredient miscibility), to separate components (so as to improve value and/or functionality), and to effect mechanochemical transformations (for example, to cause starch damage). Current international standards on pulse quality are examined from the perspective of their relationship to the millability of pulses (that is, grain legume properties at mill receival). The effect of pulse flour on the quality of the products they are incorporated in is examined solely from the perspective of flour quality not quantity. Finally, we identify research gaps where critical questions should be answered if pulse milling science and technology are to be established on par with their wheat flour milling counterparts.

Effect of feeding soybean meal and differently processed peas on the gut mucosal immune system of broilers

Peas are traditionally used as a protein source for poultry. However, peas contain antinutritional factors (ANF), which are associated with the initiation of local and systemic immune reactions. The current study examined the effect of feeding raw or differently processed peas in comparison with feeding a soybean meal (SBM) based control diet (C) on the gut mucosal immune system of broilers in a 35 day feeding trial. In six replicates, a total of 360 one-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated to four different groups receiving C, or three treatment diets containing raw, fermented, and enzymatically pre-digested peas, each supplying 30% of required crude protein. After slaughtering, jejunal samples were taken for immunohistochemical, flow cytometric, and gene expression analyses. Investigations were focused on the topological distribution of intraepithelial leukocytes (villus tip, villus mid, and crypt region) as well as on the further characterization of the different intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) and concomitant pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Broilers receiving the raw or processed pea diets had higher numbers of intraepithelial CD45+ leukocytes in the tip (P = 0.004) and mid region (P < 0.001) of villi than birds fed C. Higher numbers of intraepithelial CD3+ lymphocytes were found in the villus tip (P = 0.002) and mid region (P = 0.003) of birds fed raw or processed pea containing diets in comparison with those fed C. The flow cytometric phenotyping showed a similar relative distribution of IEL among the feeding groups. The expression of intestinal pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was affected by feeding the different diets only to a minor extent. To conclude, feeding of diets formulated with raw and processed peas in comparison with feeding a SBM control diet initiated mucosal immune responses in the jejunum of broilers indicated by a quantitative increase of intraepithelial T cells. Further research is needed in order to ascertain the specific factors which are responsible for observed local immune reactions and how these local reactions might affect the immune status and health of broilers.

Physicochemical and sensory properties of soy bread made with germinated, steamed, and roasted soy flour

For the development of healthful gluten-free soy bread acceptable to consumers, we evaluated the effects of various processing procedures for soy flour on bread quality, in terms of beany flavour and texture. We pretreated soy flour by both non-heating (raw:NS and germinated:GS) and heating (steamed:SS and roasted:RS) methods. In addition, to improve the loaf volume, we added 1% hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) to RS flour. Lipoxygenase activity was retained in the non-heat-treated flours (279 U/g for NS and 255 U/g for GS), but was significantly reduced in the heat-treated flours (106U/g for SS and 69 U/g for RS). Moreover, heat-treated flour had higher isoflavone and ferric reducing antioxidant power than had non-heat-treated flour. However, RS flour had the lowest moisture content and lowest L value. The GS bread had the highest specific loaf volume (3.53 cm(3)/g), followed by NS (2.96 cm(3)/g), RS (2.25c m(3)/g), and SS (1.81 cm(3)/g) bread. GS bread had the lowest hardness (1.53N), followed by NS (1.65 N), RS (2.00 N), and SS (3.75 N) bread. The addition of 1% HPMC to RS increased the loaf volume (2.44 cm(3)/g), but decreased the bread's hardness (1.80N). As to the sensory properties, the bread with heat-treated flour was perceived to have a less beany odour and taste than was the bread with non-heat-treated flour. However, the latter had a better appearance than the former. These results indicated that soy flour pretreatment could enhance the loaf volume and reduce the beany flavour of whole soy bread.

Agronomical factors influencing the legumin/vicilin ratio in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds

BACKGROUND

Many research studies have investigated the impact of agronomical factors on the protein content of pea (Pisum sativum). This study aimed to establish if a correlation exists between protein content and legumin/vicilin (L/V) ratio in pea seeds and to identify agronomical factors that have an impact on this ratio.

RESULTS

The L/V ratio was positively correlated with protein content (r = 0.58, P ≤ 0.01), but no linear regression was applicable (adjusted R(2) = 0.31). Both variety and cultivation year had a highly significant effect on the ratio (P < 0.001). The interaction between these two factors was also highly significant (P < 0.001), some varieties being less sensitive to climatic conditions than others. Cultivation location had a highly significant effect (P < 0.01). There was no interaction between variety and location. Seeding density had a highly significant effect on the ratio (P < 0.01), with a saturation effect above 60 seeds m(-2).

CONCLUSION

Further studies should establish if a linear regression model can be applied to pea varieties independently. Varieties with a stable L/V ratio can prove to be useful in the food industry. Other agronomical factors (soil type and seeding density) should be considered for the production of pea seeds with a specific L/V ratio.

Effect of the cooking on physicochemical and starch digestibility properties of two varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under different water regimes

Growing and cooking conditions influence the quality and nutritional value of beans. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of cooking on digestibility and physicochemical properties of two varieties of bean grown under different water regimes. Black 8025 and Pinto Durango varieties were grown in irrigated and temporal (rain fed) conditions in two locations of Guanajuato, Mexico. The pasting profiles of the cooked beans showed a significant decrease in viscosity. The enthalpy of the raw and cooked beans ranged from 2.75 to 3.95 and 0.62 to 0.97J/g, respectively. The percentage of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch increased, while the percentage of resistant starch was lower in cooked samples. Black 8025 beans had lower glycemic index than Pinto Durango, but no significant difference (P<0.05) was noted between water regimes. The variety of bean had a more pronounced effect on digestibility properties than the water regime.

Profile and functional properties of seed proteins from six pea (Pisum sativum) genotypes

Extractability, extractable protein compositions, technological-functional properties of pea (Pisum sativum) proteins from six genotypes grown in Serbia were investigated. Also, the relationship between these characteristics was presented. Investigated genotypes showed significant differences in storage protein content, composition and extractability. The ratio of vicilin:legumin concentrations, as well as the ratio of vicilin + convicilin: Legumin concentrations were positively correlated with extractability. Our data suggest that the higher level of vicilin and/or a lower level of legumin have a positive influence on protein extractability. The emulsion activity index (EAI) was strongly and positively correlated with the solubility, while no significant correlation was found between emulsion stability (ESI) and solubility, nor between foaming properties and solubility. No association was evident between ESI and EAI. A moderate positive correlation between emulsion stability and foam capacity was observed. Proteins from the investigated genotypes expressed significantly different emulsifying properties and foam capacity at different pH values, whereas low foam stability was detected. It appears that genotype has considerable influence on content, composition and technological-functional properties of pea bean proteins. This fact can be very useful for food scientists in efforts to improve the quality of peas and pea protein products.