IMMUNOREACTIVE PROPERTIES AND SENSORY QUALITY OF LENTIL (LENS CULINARIS) AND MUNG BEAN (VIGMA RADIATA L.) SPROUTS

The objective of the study was to compare parallel immunoreactive properties and sensory characteristics of lentil (Lens culinaris) and mung bean (Vigma radiata L.) sprouts. The seeds were germinated with and without light at 20°C up to 3 days. The changes in immunoreactivity of the sprouts were determined by competitive ELISA method using rabbit polyclonal antisera to lentil and mung bean proteins. The sensory quality of samples was evaluated by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). In QDA a trained panel (n=9) rated the sprouts for odour, taste and texture. The results indicated that the effects of germination on the immunoreactive properties of sprouts with cotyledons depended on the type of legumes. The presence or absence of light during the germination process did not affect the results achieved. The removal of the cotyledons almost completely reduced immunoreactivity of samples (97 % for lentil and 99 % for mung bean). The effects of germination on the sensory profile of sprouts were found to depend on the type of legumes but as far as the sprouts of mung bean are concerned also on the processing conditions. The QDA demonstrated significant differences between the sprouts for the following attributes: bitterness (p<0.001), “pea-pod ” taste (p<0.01), flourness (p<0.001) and juiciness (p<0.01)