The Effect Of Variety And Pre-Processing On Dehulling Efficiency, Proximate Composition And Functional Properties Of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Cajan)

ABSTRACT

The seeds of three different color varieties of pigeon pea (cream, brown, and speckled) were each subjected to different processing methods (soaking, boiling, sprouting and roasting) to evaluate their effect on dehulling efficiency. They were further reduced to flour and their effects on proximate composition and functional properties were determined. The results of this work showed that sprouting was the least efficient method of processing, having the least percentage of dehulling, 67.00%, 64.00% and 71.00% for cream, brown and speckled respectively, whereas samples soaked at ambient temperature was the most efficient method of dehulling having 80.00%, 82.00% and 89.00% for cream, brown and speckled samples respectively. The unprocessed pigeon pea had the highest protein content (25.94-27.5%) while roasting reduced the protein (15.01-16.56%) sprouting increased the moisture content of the pigeon pea to (7.772-9.650%) while roasting reduced it to (3.775-5.078%). There was no significant difference (p>O.OS) among the water absorption capacity, gelatinization, temperature, stability and gelation capacity of' the processed and unprocessed samples. The soaked sample had the least oil absorption capacity, roasted sample had the least foaming capacity, and boiled had the least emulsion capacity.