Lupins sprouts production with edible co-vers for better conservation to be sold as salad ingredient

M. P. MARTÍN; M.L. MOLINELLI,; ANA M. PLANCHUELO; N. R. GROSSO

Rostock

Congreso; Breeding, Cultivation and Use of Lupins for a Sustainable Agriculture ? Recent Developments; 2023

International Lupin Association

White lupine grains are little known in Argentina, because the only ones that are marketed are the bitter ones which are sold as medicinal beans in dietary shops. A recent production of sweet lupines is currently becoming available on the edible grain market. With the idea of supporting new cultivation ini-tiatives, different uses of grains in nov-el food proposals are being investigat-ed. The high protein content with good amino acid balance, the fatty acids components, the fiber percentage and the antioxidants properties of white grain lupins were evaluated in different scientific publications, but there is a lack of nutritional evaluations during the seed germination process. It is known that germination mobilizes seed nutrients to develop a new plant, con-sequently the sprout development modifies the chemical composition, increasing the antioxidant capacity, the nutritional value and the digestibility process. This research proposes to evaluate the changes of nutritional markers at different stages of the ger-mination process to reach a sprout stage to be sold as a fresh vegetable product. To be able to maintains and extent the chemical, sensory and mi-crobiological quality of the sprout dur-ing marketing period, two edible covers will be tested, one is a product made with lupine flour (LF) and the other is a carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). The fol-lowing activities will be carried out: calibration of Lupinus albus germination tests; chemical analysis of the nutri-tional component and antioxidant properties on dry seed and germinated seed at different stage of germination, till reach the best sprout growing stage; production of edible cover with LF, and CMC and determination of the chemi-cal composition and antioxidant activi-ty; sensory effect of edible covers of LF and CMC over the developed sprout; analyses of conservation properties of different synthetic packaging materials on sprout covered with LF and CMC during commercialization times through physical, chemical, sensory and microbiological indicators. Preliminary results show that the best germination process was with seed previously soak-ing in distilled water for five hours and placed in a germination chamber with light and temperature conditions as indicated in ISTA requirement for lupin seeds. After the imbibition process the radicle emerges 24 hours later. The germination trial was evaluated daily for 12 days. The sprouts obtained were fresh and tasty. More research is in the way to define the best edible cover and packaging materials.