Effect of Germination on the Digestion of Legume Proteins

Abstract

As one of the main sources of plant protein, it is important to improve the protein digestibility of legumes. Faced with population growth and increasing environmental pressures, it is essential to find a green approach. Germination meets this requirement, and in the process of natural growth, some enzymes are activated to make dynamic changes in the protein itself; at the same time, other substances (especially anti-nutrient factors) can also be degraded by enzymes or their properties (water solubility, etc.), thereby reducing the binding with protein, and finally improving the protein digestibility of beans under the combined influence of these factors The whole process is low-carbon, environmentally friendly and safe. Therefore, this paper summarizes this process to provide a reference for the subsequent development of soybean functional food, especially the germination of soybean functional food.

Keywords: anti-nutritional factor; digestion; germination; legume protein; structure.

Figure 1

Comparison of protein contents of common animal protein, plant protein, and sprouted bean protein (g/100 g). All images used in the chart are sourced from the internet [43,44,45,46].

Figure 2

Changes in protein and anti-nutritional factors during soybean germination in relation to protein digestibility. Bean pictures were sourced from the Internet [52]; the rest are original.

Figure 3

Protein digestion and inhibition of protein digestion by anti-nutritional factors. Gastrointestinal pictures were sourced from the Internet [112,113,114]; the rest are original.