Location: Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21650-002-035-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2022
End Date: Dec 31, 2025
Objective:
(1) Establish the state diagrams of starch in pea, lentil, and chickpea flours (i.e. gelatinization temperatures versus moisture content); (2) Increase resistant starch content in pulse flours by heat-moisture treatment (HMT); (3) Determine changes in protein digestibility and protein structure by HMT; (4) Evaluate the effects of HMT on anti-nutrients in pulse flours; (5) Assess how the volatile compounds in pulse flour are affected by HMT; (6) Determine the physicochemical and functional properties of heat moisture treated pulse flours; and (7) Evaluate the use of heat-moisture treated pulse flours in pasta and Asian noodles and determine the digestibility of starch in cooked pasta and noodles containing HMT pulse flours.
Approach:
A comprehensive study on heat moisture treatment (HMT) of pulse flours will be conducted. The state diagrams of starch in pea, lentil, and chickpea flours (i.e., gelatinization temperatures versus moisture content) will be established. Based on the state diagrams, heat treatment conditions will be selected to treat the pulse flours with different moisture contents (~ 10%, 20%, 25% and 30%). Flours after heat treatment will be tested for color, protein digestibility, starch digestibility, x-ray crystallinity, gelatinization and pasting properties, solvent retention capacity, and dough properties. In addition, protein surface hydrophobicity, protein extractability / solubility, molecular size distribution, and secondary structure of protein in pulse flours will be determined. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry will be used to analyze how the volatile compounds in pulse flours are affected by HMT. Pasta and Asian noodles containing the heat-treated pulse flours will be prepared and the color, texture, and starch digestibility will be measured. The most promising treatments of pulse flour-containing pasta and noodles will be further evaluated through descriptive sensory test in comparison with the controls at the Kansas State University Center for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior.
