IMPLICATION OF PROCESSING ON B?41C;10SAC@HARIDE CONTENTS OF COWPEA VARIEIES

Abstract

Five cowpea varieties were used. The seeds were subjected to autoclaving, cooking, germination and soaking. No raffinose and little stachyose were detected in the germinated samples but autoclaving and cooking gave appreciable losses intheseoligosaccharides. Soaking was ineffective in the removal of raffinose and stachyose as losses were insignificant. The different processing methods significantly reduced the oligosaccharides at varying degrees (P <0.05). Since raffinose and stachyose concentratins were influenced by genetic variation (P <0.05), elimination of these oligosaccharides could be effected by selection.