The effects of various processing methods on the hemagglutinating and
antitryptic activities of the
seeds of two species of the genus Canavalia, C. ensiformis
and C.
braziliensis, were
investigated.
Raw C. ensiformis and C. braziliensis
contained 13 532 and 10 204 hemagglutinating units (HU),
respectively, and also 1682 and 1662 trypsin inhibitor units (TIU)
g-1 of seed, respectively.
Moist
heat proved more effective than dry heat as a method of inactivating
the two antinutritional factors
in the seeds. Whereas 90 min of cooking at 96 °C was required to
completely eliminate antitryptic
activities of both species, 3 h of cooking was required to completely
eliminate their hemagglutinating
activities. Pressure cooking eliminated their antitryptic
activities in 30 min and their hemagglutinating activities in 45 min. Soaking in water for even up to 96 h
before cooking had no effect on
hemagglutinating and antitryptic activities of C.
braziliensis. Soaking in water for 72 h,
however,
completely eliminated the antitryptic activity of C.
ensiformis in 30 min of cooking and the
hemagglutinating activity in 60 min of cooking. Breaking the seeds
before cooking proved to be
most effective, resulting in complete elimination of antitryptic and
hemagglutinating activities of
both species in 30 and 60 min of cooking, respectively, and is
therefore most highly recommended.
Keywords: Canavalia ensiformis; Canavalia
braziliensis; antitryptic/hemagglutinating
activities;
processing methods
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