Effects of traditional cooking methods on the level of nutritional and antinutritional components of California Black sedes (Vigna unguiculata) cultivated in North East of Argentina.

PEYRANO, FELICITAS; ACEVEDO, BELÉN; ; CHAVES, MARÍA GUADALUPE; AVANZA MARÍA VICTORIA

Foz Iguazú

Congreso; IUFoST 16th World Congress of Food Science and Technology.; 2012

IUFoST

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, var. California black) is a legume of the Fabaceae family which iscultivated by small and medium-sized farmers in the North East of Argentina for either personalconsumption (human or animal) or trade. Despite its potential as an inexpensive source ofprotein and energy, cowpeas are underutilized. A simple technology for preparing cowpea flourwould stimulate increased consumption of this legume and also contribute to improve familyincome. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of traditional cooking methods onnutritional constituents (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids) and antinutritional factors such as fiticacid, polyphenols and tannins of California black seeds. Seeds were subjected to the followingtreatments: soaking (120, 240 and 360min), cooking (20, 40 and 60min), autoclaving (10, 20and 30min.) and soaking-cooking (360min-20min and 360min-60min). Raw seeds contained66.04% crude protein, 24.73% total carbohydrates, 2.6% lipid, 0.18% polyphenols, 0.20%tannins and 2.06% phytic acid (dry basis). Lipid content diminished in comparable proportion(15%) with different thermal treatments in contrast to protein content that did not changesignificantly. Soaked seeds presented a significative (p<0.05) decrease of all antinutrientsanalyzed, but in less extent than those thermally treated. Cooking (60 min) reduced by 25% to38% the content of polyphenol, tannins and phytic acid. Autoclaving (30 min) treatment resultedin more significant reduction of phytic acid (83%) than polyphenols (61%) and tannin (55%)content. Similar results were obtained by combined treatment (soaking 360min-cooking 60min)except for phytic acid (63%).