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Aims: To improve the processes of pre-treatment of legumes for their nutritional valorization. Study Design:  Original research. Place and Duration of Study: This study took place at the Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University between February and July 2022. Methodology: Red beans and cowpeas purchased on the local market of Adjamé were subjected, after unitary operation of sorting and washing, to a two-factor design of experiment:  seed/water ratio and the soaking time, in order to identify the ideal ratio and soaking time to well reduce phytates. Seeds resulting from this pre-treatment were germinated for 72 h and some key nutrient and functional parameters were evaluated. Results: The ratio 8/9 and soaking time of 18 hours allowed a maximum reduction of 62 and 66.6% of phytate and 72.83 and 67.48% of tanins in cowpea and red beans, respectively. Protein content of these 72 hours germinated pre-treated seeds decreased very slightly and finally remained at high level of 22.02 and 23.13 g/100 g for cowpea and red bean, while reducing sugar levels increased significantly throughout germination to a maximum of 8.19 and 8.13 mg/100 g. Regarding functional and antioxidant properties, a maximum increase in total polyphenols (49.08  and 68.314 mg/100 g) and total flavonoids (13.75 and 39.67 mg/100 g) was observed after 48 h of germination for cowpea and red beans, respectively. Furthermore, this improvement in phenolic content led to a significant improvement in the free radical scavenging capacity of DPPH of 24.50 and 46.38 %. It should also be noted that the germinated red bean showed better nutritional value than the germinated cowpea. Conclusion: This approach of pre-processing germinated legumes at seed-to-water ratio of 8/9 soaked for 18 hours, providing functional foods with guaranteed nutritional value, appears to be a way to improve local diets.

Aims: Impact of Lactobacillus plantarum. Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, between February 2021 and November 2021. Methodology: Two pulses (Vigna unguiculata and Vigna subterranea) purchased at the Adjamé market (Abidjan) were subjected, after the unitary operations of sorting, washing drying and grinding of the grains, in fermentation in a sterile flour/water mixture at 37°C for 48 h by Lactobacillus plantarum. The final microbial load was enumerated according to official methods, the fermented flour was dried at 50°C for 48 h and then the antioxidant and anti-nutritional properties were evaluated. Results: The sterile conditions of fermentation of the water/flour mixture with the inoculum load of 9.107 CFU/g resulted in final microbial loads of 7.8 109 CFU/g and 6.7 109 CFU/g, in decreased in pH to 3.13 ± 0.06 and 3.27 ± 0.06. This decrease was correlated with an increase in total titratable acidity (4.89 ± 0.02 and 4.26 ± 0.0%) after 48 h of fermentation for cowpea and voandzou flours, respectively. The fermentative activity of Lactobacillus plantarum increased the initial phenolic compound content to 74.28 ± 0.99 mg/100 g (cowpea) and 71.26 ± 0.4 mg/100 g (voandzou) for total polyphenols and 36.52 ± 0.336 mg/100 g (cowpea flour) and 35.33 ± 0.231 mg/100 g (voandzou flour) for total flavonoids after 30 h of fermentation. At the same time, their antioxidant activity doubled from 15 to 30% while initial phytate and tannin levels were both reduced by 47% and 50%, respectively in cowpea and voandzou flours in 30 hours of fermentation. Conclusion: In view of all these results, cowpea and voandzou flours fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum could be used as functional foods.