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Impact of Different Salts in Soaking Water on the Cooking Time, Texture and Physical Parameters of Cowpeas

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Abstract

The characteristics of modern life has led consumers to seek convenience and speed in food preparation, but storage, which is often prolonged, can result in grain hardening, leading to higher energy consumption during preparation, grain with increased hardness is often discarded. Due to the increasing global demand for grain, the use of alternative techniques aimed at reducing grain waste is necessary. Therefore, we studied a method that meets consumer demand and results in better use of harvested grain. The beans studied were cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata) of the BRS Guariba cultivar after 1 and 12 months of storage. Sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) were added to soaking water at different concentrations as a way to reduce cooking time. These beans were placed in soaking water for 12 h at 3 concentrations (0, 1.0 and 2.5 %). The cowpeas soaked in water containing NaHCO3 presented the highest hydration coefficient, which increased with the salt concentration; these beans also had decreased hardness, chewiness and cooking time.

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Abbreviations

HTC:

Hard-to-cook

HTS:

Hard-to-shell

KCl:

Potassium chloride

NaHCO3 :

Sodium bicarbonate

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

H.Cf:

Hydration coefficient

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Post-Graduate Program in Food Science and Technology (PPGCTA), Federal University of Pelotas, Av. Eliseu Maciel Box 354, Capão do Leão, Brazil

    Bianca Pio Ávila, Magda Santos dos Santos, Angélica Markus Nicoletti, Moacir Cardoso Elias & Márcia Arocha Gularte

  2. Federal Institute South Riograndense, Square Vinte de Setembro Box 455, Pelotas, Brazil

    Gabriela Dutra Alves & Jander Monks

Authors
  1. Bianca Pio Ávila
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  2. Magda Santos dos Santos
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  3. Angélica Markus Nicoletti
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  4. Gabriela Dutra Alves
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  5. Moacir Cardoso Elias
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Correspondence to Bianca Pio Ávila.

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Ávila, B.P., Santos dos Santos, M., Nicoletti, A.M. et al. Impact of Different Salts in Soaking Water on the Cooking Time, Texture and Physical Parameters of Cowpeas. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 70, 463–469 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-015-0504-7

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