THE EFFECT OF TRADITIONAL PROCESSING METHODS ON BIOAVAILABILITY OF MINERALS IN CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea is a major constituent of the human diet. It is an important source of energy and nutrients, particularly protein and minerals. However, It also contains antinutrients which bind minerals, mainly iron and zinc, rendering them less bioavailable or unavailable for absorption. The levels of these antinutrients may be reduced by traditional food processing methods such as fermentation and germination. The objective of this study is to investigate and report the effects of traditional processing methods (boiling, roasting, germination and fermentation) on the mineral bioavailability of chickpea grown in Ethiopia. The effect of various traditional processing methods (boiling, roasting, germination and fermentation) on HCl-extractability of minerals of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grown in Ethiopia was studied. The mineral contents were determined by the standard procedure of AOAC The range of iron, zinc, and calcium and phosphorous were 4.0-6.8, 2.7-3.9, and 135.8-207 and 252.2-298.11 mg/100 g respectively. The HCl - extractability (as an index of bioavailability) of iron, zinc, calcium and phosphorous in each of the processing methods was also studied. The results indicated that fermentation and germination were most effective in reducing Phytate and condensed tannin content and enhance HCl -extractability of minerals.