BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN THE BROAD BEAN GREEN SEEDS AFTER STORAGE IN THE PODS

Abstract. Broad bean seeds, with a high nutritional value at green maturity stage, are used for direct human consumption and in food processing. However broad bean green seeds had as a very shortly time to use because the green seeds very quickly lost the white-green fresh colour. The aim of the study was to evaluate the content of biologically active substances in fresh broad bean seeds immediately after the harvest and seeds from pods stored for a week under low temperature conditions. Experimental material consisted of fresh, green broad bean seeds of Bachus, Basta, R-366/1, Bolero, Jankiel Biaáy, and Windsor Biaáy cultivars. Broad bean seeds were sown in the second decade of April at 60 × 10 cm spacing, 100 seeds per plot of 6.0 m2 area. Broad bean pods were harvested once at the stage of technological maturity of seeds in the second and third decade of July. Marketable seed samples of 500 g were collected for laboratory tests. At the same time, immediately after the harvest, samples of 2 kg marketable broad bean pods of each culti-var were collected and storage within 7 days at 1–4°C. The contents of L-ascorbic acid, chlorophyll (a + b), flavonoids (QE), free phenolic acids sum (CAE), and dry matter were determined in broad bean seeds directly after the harvest as well as in the seeds from the pods stored for 7 days. In the results of the investigation indicate that green faba bean seeds from the storage pods had a good white-green colour and marketable quality, how-ever the seeds had the significantly lowest content of L-ascorbic acid and chlorophyll (a + b). The content of selected biologically active substances in the seeds after storage in the pods indicates a significant difference in dependence on cultivar