www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale Downloaded From IP - 14.139.183.121 on dated 25-Mar-2025 Intl. J. Food. Ferment. Technol. 6(1): 129-136, June, 2016 ©2016 New Delhi Publishers. All rights reserved DOI: 10.5958/2277-9396.2016.00035.0 RESEARCH PAPER Effect of Fermentation and Dehydration on the Nutritional and Functional Properties of Horse Gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) Flour P. Vandarkuzhali and Narayanasamy Sangeetha Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India Corresponding author: kuzhali.rajasegar@gmail.com Paper No. 121 Received: 15-9-2014 Accepted: 19-4-2016 Abstract A study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of fermentation and dehydration on the nutritional and functional properties of horse gram flour. Fermentation was carried out for 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs and standard methods were adopted to analyze the nutritional and functional properties of the processed flour. Fermentation period had significantly reduced the carbohydrate, fat, ash but increased the protein, moisture and fiber of horse gram flour. Dehydration techniques did not affect the nutrients present in the processed flour appreciably. But, Fluidized bed drying effectively increased the foam capacity and water absorption capacity of fermented horse gram while fermentation period had decreased the swelling capacity and oil absorption capacity of processed flour, irrespective of the drying methods. Hence, the utilization of fermented and dehydrated horse gram and its flour not only improve the nutrient utilization and bioavailability of nutrients but also upsurge its application in therapeutic food formulations for specific health conditions. Keywords: Horse gram, germination, fermentation, nutritional analysis, functional properties, dehydration Legumes and pulses are good sources of dietary fibers especially in their husk fractions, which promote their tremendous therapeutic health effects. In addition to a protein rich source, legume consumption is considered to be useful to reduce a number of diseases like coronary heart disease (Anderson et al., 1984), colon cancer (Hangen, 2002 and Hughes, 1997), diabetes and obesity (Geil, 1994 and Venkateswaran, 2002), prostate cancer (Kolonel, 2000) and breast cancer (Adebamowo, 2005). Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdcourt (Syn., Dolichos uniflorus Lam., Dolichos biflorus auct. non L.)) is an underutilized pulse crop which is native to Southeast Asia and Tropical Africa (Purseglove, 1974 and Smar, 1985). Among underutilized legumes, horse gram has been recognized as potential source of protein and other nutrients (Priyawiwatkul, 1996). Due to the emergence of new food processing technologies, this legume can be consumed as whole, dehulled, splits, canned, boiled, roasted or ground into flour, which occupied a very important place in human diet in many developing countries (Kadam, 1985). The vegetative parts of horse gram plant are good source of vitamins like carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C (Sodani et al., 2004). Though the legume seeds are good source of nutrients, their use in food and feed is still limited since they contain sulfur containing aminoacids, presence of antinutritional components and low protein digestibility (Mubarak, 2005). The antinutritional