Frontiers in Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (2), pp. 013-016, February, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The negative outcome of germination and fermentation on the physical and chemical properties of protein isolate

Obi Ikem and Emeka Ozo

Department of Food Science and Technology, Abia Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, P. O. Box 3322  Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

E-mail : [email protected].

Accepted 04 January, 2013

Abstract 

The proximate composition and functional properties of fermentated and germinated Mucuna cochinchinensis protein isolates were determined. Mucuna bean protein extracted at pH 8 and pH 10 had protein contents ranging from 89.6 to 90.1% for the fermented Mucuna bean flour while the germinated bean ranged from 88.1 to 89.8%. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the results of some of the functional properties of the Mucuna bean isolates at different fermenting and germinating periods. However, oil and water absorption, emulsion capacity, bulk density, foaming capacity and gelation capacity compared favourably with soy and winged bean isolates. Thus Mucuna bean isolate with its high protein content and good functionality has a good potential for application in food systems.

Key words: Fermentation, germination, physicochemical properties, Mucuna, protein isolate.