Kadlec P., Dostálová J., Bernášková J., Skulinová M. (2008): Degradation of α-galactosides during the germination of grain legume seeds. Czech J. Food Sci., 26: 99-108.Germination is one of the most effective ways of preparing grain legumes for consumption. Because it involves the total or partial elimination of some anti-nutritional compounds, it is also one of the simplest methods of enhancing the palatability of grain legumes, thereby increasing their consumption as a valuable source of nutrition. The main objective of this paper is to describe the changes that take place in α-galactosides during germination. During germination, galactose molecules gradually become detached from α-galactosides due to the effect of the enzyme α-d-galactosidase activated during the process. To simulate the degradation of α-galactosides during legume seed germination, we applied nine equations to the evaluation of the experimental data obtained with the germination of three types of grain legume seeds; mung bean, chickpea, and lentil.

Abstract:The α-galactosides negatively affect of grain legumes digestibility. The most effective way of α-galactosides content decreasing is germination. The contents of α-galactosides in legume seeds were decreased by germination up to 16% of original value (lentil). During the germination, the contents of microorganisms are arising to high values. The effective method for decreasing of microorganisms content is high pressure treatment. During the high pressure treatment (500 MPa for 10 min) the further α-galactosides are decomposed up to 5% of original value (mung bean). The contents of α-galactosides in high pressure treated germinated seeds were reduced up to 0 (lentil, mung bean) during 14 days storage at the temperature 4-8°C.