Effect of Germination on the Physicochemical Properties and Mineral Composition of Pigeon Pea Flour and Its Protein Isolate

Author

Danbaki, Joshua and Akubor, P. I

Abstract

 The study investigated the effect of germination in the quality of pigeon pea flour and its protein isolate. Protein isolate was prepared from germinated pigeon pea grains. The protein isolate was used to substitute 5, 10, 15, and 20% wheat flour. The chemical composition, functional and pasting properties of pigeon pea flour and its protein isolate, and the wheat–germinated pigeon pea protein isolate blends were evaluated. Germination of the pigeon pea protein isolate increased the bulk density, swelling capacity, dispersibility, and least gelation concentration but decreased the water absorption capacity, fat absorption/foam capacity and stability, and emulsification capacity relative to the ungerminated isolate. Germination increased the peak, trough, breakdown, final, and setback viscosities of the isolate, while lowering peak time and pasting temperature. Proximate composition revealed that germination significantly (p < 0.05) increased the crude protein, fat, crude fibre, ash, moisture and carbohydrate content of the isolate. Mineral analysis showed that germination increased phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium levels of the pigeon pea protein isolate, with sodium showing the largest proportional increase (70.00–87.00 mg/100g). Increasing the level of germinated isolate inclusion (5% to 20%) in wheat flour blends increased the protein, ash, fibre, and mineral contents as well as the pasting viscosities compared with the 100% wheat flour (control). These results demonstrate that germination is an effective bioprocessing technique for enhancing the nutritional and functional quality of pigeon pea protein isolate and its wheat flour blends.

Keywords

Pigeon pea, protein isolate, germination, chemical composition, functional properties. .

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