Abstracto

Effect of Processing on Component Oligosaccharides of Cowpea (Vigna unguicustala)

Olu Malomo

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of incorporating germination as a unit operation in cowpea food processing, on the flatulence factors attributed to the oligosaccharides component of cowpea. A substantial proportion of the dry matter of cowpea was lost on germination and processing. Germination produced significant reductions in the oligosaccharides of cowpea during sprouting and processing, which in turn reduces the flatulence factor in the cowpea meal. This being an anti nutritional factor in legume was found to have been totally eliminated . Germination in our findings can easily be incorporated as a unit operation in legume processing to eliminate anti nutritional factors in legumes especially cowpeas. It was also found to aid in reducing trypsin inhibitors in cowpeas by our findings.