Utilization of Germinated Seeds as Functional Food Ingredients: Optimization of Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Activity Evolution Based on the Germination Characteristics of Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima)

Abstract

The current study investigated the impact of germination duration on the functional components (vitamin C, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), polyphenols, flavonoids) and antioxidant activity of germs and cotyledons of the germinated Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima). We utilized seeds of the "Zaofeng" Chinese chestnut to germinate, and sowed the seeds in wet sand at 22 °C and 85% relative humidity. The germination rate, length, diameter, and fresh weight of the sprouts were investigated at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after sowing, and the kinetic changes of amylose, amylopectin, sugar components, soluble protein, vitamin C, GABA, total phenols, flavonoids, and the DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity in the germs and cotyledons were monitored, respectively. The findings revealed that the germination rate and germ biomass increased continuously during germination. The germination rate reached 90% on the 8th day after sowing. Germination reduced amylose in cotyledons from 42.3% to 34.2%, amylopectin from 42.9% to 25.8%, total sugar from 12.6% to 11.4%, and vitamin C from 1.45 mg/g to 0.77 mg/g. Meanwhile, soluble protein in the embryos rose from 0.31% to 0.60%, vitamin C from 21.1 to 29.4 mg/g, GABA from 0.49 to 1.68 mg/g, total flavonoids from 53.6 to 129.7 mg/g, and ABTS antioxidant activity from 1.52 to 3.27 μmol TE/g. The average contents of D-fructose, inositol, vitamin C, GABA, polyphenols, and flavonoids and the DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activity in germs were as high as 22.5, 6, 35, 7.5, 10, 20, and 10 and 20-fold those of cotyledons, respectively. Especially, the average content of glucose in germ was as high as 80-fold that of cotyledon. D-xylulose, D-galacturonic acid, and D-ribose were only found in germs, but not in cotyledons. Considering the germ biomass and functional components content, germs of Chinese chestnuts germinated at 22 °C for 8 days are considered the most suitable raw material for functional food products. In conclusion, controlled germination not only enhances the physicochemical and functional properties of Chinese chestnut germs but also reduces the caloric content and improves the nutritional composition of the cotyledons appropriately. Moreover, the comprehensive evaluation of compositional changes and functionality in the embryo and cotyledon of Chinese chestnuts will provide a solid foundation for subsequent functional food processing utilizing germinated Chinese chestnuts.

Keywords: Castanea mollissima; antioxidant capacity; cotyledon; functional properties; germination; sprout.

Figure 1

Comparison of morphology (A), average germination rate (B), germ diameter (C), germ length (D), and germ fresh weight (E) of Chinese chestnuts during germination. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 2

Comparison of amylose and amylopectin in different parts of Chinese chestnuts during germination. (A) amylose in germs, (B) amylopectin in germs, (C) amylose in cotyledons, (D) amylopectin in cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 3

Comparison of soluble protein content in different parts of Chinese chestnuts during germination. (A) soluble protein in germs, (B) soluble protein in cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 4

Comparison of vitamin C content in different parts of Chinese chestnuts during germination. (A) vitamin C in germs, (B) vitamin C in cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 5

Comparison of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in different parts of Chinese chestnuts during germination. (A) GABA in germs, (B) GABA in cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 6

Comparison of total polyphenols and flavonoids contents in different parts of Chinese chestnuts during germination. (A) total polyphenols in germs, (B) total flavonoids in germs, (C) total polyphenols in cotyledons, (D) total flavonoids in cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.

Figure 7

Comparison of DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activity of different parts of Chinese chestnut during germination. (A) DPPH scavenging activity of germs, (B) ABTS scavenging activity of germs, (C) DPPH scavenging activity of cotyledons, (D) ABTS scavenging activity of cotyledons. Values in the figures are shown as the means ± standard error (n = 3). Vertical bars represent the standard errors of the means. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments for each sampling time at p ≤ 0.05.