Impact of germination on flour, protein and starch characteristics of lentil (Lens culinari) and horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.) lines

Effect of germination on protein profiling, physicochemical, functional and pasting properties of lentil and horsegram lines was studied. Proportion of β-sheets and β-turns were the highest in both the pulses, followed by random coils and α-helix and proportion of antiparallel β-sheets was the lowest. Proportion of anti-parallel β-sheets and β-sheets increased whereas that of α-helix and β-turns decreased with germination. Flours with higher β-sheets and lower α-helix showed higher water absorption capacity and foaming capacity but lower emulsifying activity index. Germination increased protein content, foaming capacity, water absorption capacity and breakdown viscosity while decreased foaming stability, emulsifying activity index and paste viscosities. HMW polypeptides of 80, 69, 60, 58, 55, 45, 37 and 33 kDa in lentils and 87, 81, and 72 kDa in horsegram decreased and LMW polypeptides of 19 and 14 kDa in lentils; 25 and 22 kDa polypeptide in horsegram increased during germination. Polypeptides of 15, 27 and 29 kDa corresponding to trypsin inhibitors were not affected by germination. Amylose content decreased with germination. Uncooked starch showed decrease in proportion of large granules accompanied by increase in proportion of small granules.