THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF THE DEHULLED AND UNDEHULLED MUNGBEAN (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) FLOURS AS INFLUENCED BY PROCESSING TREATMENTS

Akaerue, Blessing I. and Onwuka, Greg I.

Department of Food Science and Technology

 Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

E-mail: akabless2001@yahoo.com, gionwuka@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study evaluated the effects of processing treatments (boiling, toasting and sprouting, at different intervals), on the functional properties of dehulled and undehulled mungbean seeds flours. Significant differences (P<0.05) existed between the functional properties of the raw and processed flours. For boiled samples, the undehulled sample boiled for 45min had the highest water absorption capacity (WAC) (3.8g/g), the 30min boiled sample had the highest oil absorption capacity (OAC) (2.0ml/g) and emulsion capacity (EC) (25.96%) while the foam capacity (FC) was highest (6.67%) in the 90min boiled sample. However, the dehulled sample boiled for 30min had the highest WAC (3.8g/g) while the OAC (2.1ml/g), EC (30.45%) and FC (8.57%) were highest in the 90min boiled sample.  For toasted samples, the undehulled sample toasted for 60min had the highest WAC (2.8g/g), highest OAC (2.2ml/g), highest EC (33.33%), and FC (94.24%). However, the dehulled sampes had the highest WAC (2.9g/g) in the 45min toasted sample, while the 30min flour gave the highest OAC (2.1ml/g), EC (33.03%) and FC (16.17%). For sprouted samples, the undehulled sample sprouted for 48h had the highest WAC (3.1g/g), EC (31.19%) and FC (18.10%) while the 72h sprouted sample had the highest OAC (1.9ml/g). However, the dehulled sample sprouted for 24h had highest WAC (3.0g/g), OAC(1.7ml/g), EC(29.64%) and FC (14.29%).Results showed that both the raw and processed mungbean flours had high gelation capacity (2-6%) and  that mungbean flour could be useful as a functional ingredient in a variety of food formulations.

Keywords: processing, functional properties, mungbean, dehulling, flour