Can sprouting reduce phytate and improve the nutritional composition and nutrient bioaccessibility in cereals and legumes?

Abstract

Sprouting is a traditional processing method which has been used for centuries to improve the nutritional value of cereals and legumes. There has been growing interest in sprouted products in recent years due to a high demand for more natural and healthy foods. Phytate is the primary storage form of phosphorus in plants. It is long recognised to affect human health as it forms insoluble complexes with minerals such as iron and zinc in cereals and legumes, thereby preventing their absorption in the body. Sprouting activates the enzyme phytase, which degrades phytate, thereby improving mineral bioaccessibility and bioavailability. The extent of phytate reduction varies depending on the sprouting conditions, cereal/legume species, cultivar and native phytase activity. Sprouting has been associated with increased iron, zinc and calcium bioaccessibility in many studies, but this appears to differ in cereals and legumes, which possibly is due to the presence of other ‘antinutrients’. Protein digestibility also appears to be positively correlated with phytate reduction albeit less than for minerals. It is not possible to accurately predict the influence of sprouting on nutrient bioavailability because so few studies have been conducted. Further research is required to determine whether the commercial production of sprouted cereals and legumes can increase the nutritional value and health benefits of commercial end products.

Andean Sprouted Pseudocereals to Produce Healthier Extrudates: Impact in Nutritional and Physicochemical Properties

“…Similar and slightly reduced PA content was observed for OPM1 and OPM2, respectively, as compared to that of the control. This effect could result from sprouting, which activates endogenous phytase [ 65 ]. As for GABA and TSPC, the optimized extrudates were better sources of these bioactive compounds with levels between five and eight times higher as compared to those of the control extrudates.…”

Promotional effects on naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria without impairing chickpea germination

“…It needs to be noted that many factors can play a role in this process. For instance, optimal phytate degradation is 38-55 °C at a pH of 4.5-8 in legumes (Elliott et al 2022), while maximum phytase activity in chickpeas was observed 6-8 days after germination (Kyriakidis et al 1998).…”

Cereal β-d-Glucans in Food Processing Applications and Nanotechnology Research

“…Sprouting is also alternatively known as malting because this process has been used for centuries to produce malts with distinctive functionality and flavors for the brewing and distilling industry. The growing interest in this method in recent years is due to a high demand for more natural and healthy foods [77]. Sprouting can induce changes in the nutritional composition through enzymatic hydrolysis of existing compounds and de novo synthesis of new compounds [78].…”