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Sprouting characteristics and associated changes in nutritional composition of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

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Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), is an important arid legume with a good source of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Sprouting of legumes enhances the bioavailability and digestibility of nutrients and therefore plays an important role in human nutrition. Improved varieties of grain cowpea viz. Pant Lobia-1 (PL-1) and Pant Lobia-2 (PL-2) and Pant Lobia-3 (PL-3) were examined for sprouting characteristics and associated changes in nutritional quality. Soaking time, sprouting time and sprouting temperature combinations for desirable sprout length of ¼ to ½ inch for cowpea seed samples were standardized. All the observations were taken in triplicate except soaking time, where six observations were taken in a completely randomized design of three treatments. Results revealed that optimum soaking time of PL-1 and PL-2 seed was 3 h whereas PL-3 required 9 h. Sprouting period of 24 h at 25 °C was found to be desirable for obtaining good sprouts. Significant improvement in nutritional quality was observed after sprouting at 25 °C for 24 h; protein increased by 9–12 %, vitamin C increased by 4–38 times, phytic acid decreased by 4–16 times, trypsin inhibitor activity decreased by 28–55 % along with an increase of 8–20 % in in-vitro protein digestibility.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Grain Cowpea Project of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, for providing cowpea samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PAU, Ludhiana, India

    Chingakham Basanti Devi

  2. Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Home Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, 263145, India

    Archana Kushwaha

  3. Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, India

    Anil Kumar

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  1. Chingakham Basanti Devi
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  2. Archana Kushwaha
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  3. Anil Kumar
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Correspondence to Archana Kushwaha.

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Devi, C.B., Kushwaha, A. & Kumar, A. Sprouting characteristics and associated changes in nutritional composition of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). J Food Sci Technol 52, 6821–6827 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1832-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1832-1

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