Can the sprouting process applied to wheat improve the contents of vitamins and phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of the flour?

Abstract

Summary The content of tocopherols, B vitamins, as well as free soluble, soluble conjugated and insoluble bound phenolic compounds was determined in untreated, steeped and sprouted wheat grains. Antioxidant capacity of whole wheat grains and their phenolic fractions was also evaluated. Sprouting significantly increased the levels of tocopherols, niacin, riboflavin, as well as free and bound phenolic compounds improving nutritional value and antioxidant capacity of wheat grains/flour. After sprouting for 5 days, the content of total phenolics, flavonoids and ferulic acid calculated as the sum of its fractions was increased by 9.9, 30.7 and 21.6%, respectively. The content of α‐, β+γ‐ and δ‐tocopherols was increased for 3.59‐fold, 2.33‐fold and 2.61‐fold respectively, while the content of niacin, as predominant B vitamin, was increased for 1.19‐fold after sprouting. The total antioxidant capacity of untreated, steeped and sprouted whole wheat grains was 19.44, 20.37 and 22.70 mmol Trolox Eq/kg, respectively. Sprouted wheat, as a rich source of bioavailable phytochemicals, should be used to improve the nutritional quality of food.

Sprouting of oats: A new approach to quantify compositional changes

“…A significant increase in the vitamin content in grains due to sprouting was also reported in many other studies (Harmuth-Hoene, Bognar, Kornemann, & Diehl, 1987;Yang, Basu, & Ooraikul, 2001;Žilić et al, 2014). Tian et al (2010) found that, next to vitamins, also the total polyphenol content in oat increased by 100% after 3 days of sprouting at 16°C.…”

Changes in Bread Quality, Antioxidant Activity, and Phenolic Acid Composition of Wheats During Early‐Stage Germination

“…Metal chelating is another mechanism responsible for the antioxidant activity. However, the metal chelating activity has not been reported in recent studies of sprouted wheat (Hung et al., ; Žilić et al., ). Metal chelating property was also reported not to be correlated with radical scavenging activities (Moore et al., ).…”

“…Žilić et al. () found increased amount of ferulic acid after five days of germination. These results suggested that amount of ferulic acid decreased first and then increased to the maximum value after 7 days of germination.…”

“…Similarly, Žilić et al. () found that total phenolic content (TPC), total radical scavenging activity and amount of ferulic acid, isoferulic acid, p ‐coumaric, and caffeic acid increased after five days of germination. Hung, Hatcher, and Barker () tested two wheat varieties and reported changes of 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p ‐coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and sinapic acid, as well as DPPH radical scavenging activity after 24 hr of steeping and two days of germination.…”

Characterization and Quantitation of Triterpenoid Saponins in Raw and Sprouted Chenopodium berlandieri spp. (Huauzontle) Grains Subjected to Germination with or without Selenium Stress Conditions

“…are related species to Chenopodium berlandieri spp., these whole pseudo‐cereals have been used as wheat replacement due to their enhanced nutritional properties especially in terms of amino acid balance, minerals (calcium and iron), vitamin E, and the contribution of relevant bioactive components, such as saponins and polyphenols (Alvarez‐Jubete and others ; Chairez‐Martinez and others ). Germinated whole‐grains have an improved nutritional value and a good balance of macronutrients compared to untreated grains, due to the higher content of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which make them more attractive to the food industry (Žilić and others ).…”