The Effect Of Pre-Conditioning Operations On The Dehulling Efficiency And Physicochemical Properties Of Mungbean (Vigna Radiate (L), Wilken) Seeds

ABSTRACT

Weighed mungbean seed samples were each subjected to different preconditioning methods (soaking, boiling and toasting) to evaluate their effect on dehulling efficiencies. They were dried and further milled into flour and the effect of pre-conditioning on 'proximate composition and functional properties were determined.. The samples were also used in the production of cakes. The results of this work showed that toasting was the least efficient method of dehulling having the least percentage of dehulling of 3 2.68% and 3 6.00% for samples toasted for 45 minutes and 60 minutes respectively, whereas samples soaked in boiled water for 45 minutes was the most efficient method of dehulling having 52.64% dehulling efficiency, followed by samples soaked for 12 hours, 8 hours and samples soaked with sodium bicarbonate with the dehulling efficiencies of 49.92%, 49.82%, and 43.68% respectively. Toasting reduced the protein content significantly (22.64% and 22.81 %.) Soaking increased the moisture content to 10.82%. Toasting increased the carbohydrate content to 59.32%. There were significant differences (P<0.05) among the functional properties especially oil absorption capacity, foam capacity, bulk density and emulsion capacity. The cakes produced from 10% mungbean substituted flour gave the best sensory characteristics when compared with the 20% substitution.