Effect of Sprouting on Biomolecular and Antioxidant Features of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)

Abstract

Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal widely grown and consumed throughout the world. Buckwheat is recognized as a good source of nutrients and, in combination with other health-promoting components, is receiving increasing attention as a potential functional food. Despite the high nutritional value of buckwheat, a variety of anti-nutritional features makes it difficult to exploit its full potential. In this framework, sprouting (or germination) may represent a process capable of improving the macromolecular profile, including reducing anti-nutritional factors and/or synthesizing or releasing bioactives. This study addressed changes in the biomolecular profile and composition of buckwheat that was sprouted for 48 and 72 h. Sprouting increased the content of peptides and free-phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity, caused a marked decline in the concentration of several anti-nutritional components, and affected the metabolomic profile with an overall improvement in the nutritional characteristics. These results further confirm sprouting as a process suitable for improving the compositional traits of cereals and pseudo-cereals, and are further steps towards the exploitation of sprouted buckwheat as a high-quality ingredient in innovative products of industrial interest.

Cell culture models for assessing the effects of bioactive compounds in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum): a systematic review

“…Also, various research groups have shown how technological processes, such as sprouting, fermentation, exogenous enzyme treatment, and thermal processing, can lead to an increase in the content of free (and thus more easily extractable) polyphenols in CBW, as well as facilitate the release of bioactive peptides from CBW proteins. 42,89–91 These results emphasize the importance of addressing the role of technological processes in determining the overall bioactivity of foods. Investigation on this topic is currently undergoing novel popularity, also because of the increasing interest in: (i) advanced and sustainable methods for implementing optimal nutritional characteristics using bioprocesses and bio-processed ingredients; (ii) ongoing change in consumer needs, preferences, and expectations; (iii) of the impact of climate changes on the availability (and processing characteristics) of both established and novel plant-based raw materials.…”

“…According to the same study, flavan-3-ols such as epicatechin-3-(3′′-O-methyl) gallate, epicatechin-O-3,4-dimethyl gallate, and catechin-glucoside were the most abundant species in CBW. 42…”

“…Substantial progress has been made in outlining the mechanisms through which polyphenols inhibit cell proliferation and act on the cellular response to inflammatory stimuli. Flavan-3-ols – which are the most abundant class of phenolics in CBW 42 – have been shown to inhibit cell proliferation through the modulation of multiple signalling pathways. For instance, Deguchi et al evidenced that catechin supplementation determined a dose-dependent growth inhibition effect associated with phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases/stress-activated protein kinase and of the p38 protein in human breast cancer cells.…”

Reformulating Couscous with Sprouted Buckwheat: Physico-Chemical Properties and Sensory Characteristics Assessed by E-Senses

“…Among the pre-treatments proposed to enhance the sensory traits of buckwheat, in a previous study we showed that pre-gelatinization treatment was effective in decreasing the bitterness and astringency of both tartary and common buckwheat flour [14]. Since germination produces dramatic changes in the phenolic profile of buckwheat seeds, enhancing the antioxidant potential of the derived products [15][16][17], modifications in the sensory traits of sprouted buckwheat are likely expected and are explored in the present study.…”

Development of technology for the production of all-purpose buckwheat malt using plasmochemically activated aqueous solutions

“…Therefore, buckwheat germination is widely used to improve the compositional properties of grain material. All this will contribute to the use of sprouted buckwheat as a high-quality ingredient in innovative products of industrial interest [6].…”