Nutritive Value and Uses of Pigeonpea and Groundnut

Abstract

Pigeonpea contains considerable amounts of several antinutritional factors, namely, protein inhibitors, amylase inhibitors, and flab causing sugar and phytic acid.Pigeonpea contains some amount of polyphenolic compounds (tannins) that inhibit the digestive enzymes-trypsin, chymotrypsin, and amylase.These are especially present in dark seed coated pigeonpea.These compounds create problems when pigeonpea is consumed in large quantities.However, the antinutritional factors in pigeonpea are less than they are in soybean, pea, and common bean.Pigeonpea also contains some unavailable carbohydrates that reduce the bioavailability of other nutrients (Kamath and Belavady 1980).The toxic factors that interact with glycoprotein on the surface of red blood cells, causing them to agglutinate are called phytolectins.These factors are present in pigeonpea, but being highly sensitive to heat treatment, these are of little significance.Legumes cause flatulence when consumed in large amounts.This is due to high level of oligosaccharides; stachyose, raffinose, and verbascose.These sugars constitute about 5 3 % of the total soluble sugars in pigeonpea (Singh 1988). Pigeonpea as Human Food Whole seedPigeonpea seed has a hard seed coat with slightly acrid taste (Rachie and Roberts 1974).The dry pigeonpea seeds are soaked overnight and cooked with salt and spices.The boiled whole seeds are sometimes fried with spices and eaten with cereals, particularly in Africa.Foods such as Bongko and Brubus made with the whole seed are popular in Central Java.Other dishes and snacks are rempeyek, serundeng, and gandasturi (Damardjati and Widowati 1985).Sprouted seed.The seeds are soaked in water and allowed to sprout.The sprouted seeds are eaten raw or cooked (Aykroyd and Doughty 1982; Morton 1976).HRDP SDS no 14 Antinutritional FactorsStarch and proteins are the major constituents of pigeonpea.The high digestibility (%) of protein and starch of pigeonpea makes it a staple for millions of people in the semi-arid tropics (SAT).Pigeonpea significantly contributes to meet the dietary requirements of crude fiber, ash, fat, magnesium, manganese, and copper (Faris and Singh 1990).Pigeonpea contains high amounts of vitamin B, carotene, and ascorbic acid (Miller et al. 1956).These are deficient in cereals; therefore, pigeonpea has a good supplemental value of cereal-based diet.Pigeonpea is a rich source of lysine but deficient in the sulfur-containing amino acids-methionine and cystein.Cereal grains contain sufficient levels of methionine and cystein.Faris and Singh (1990) reported that pigeonpea improves the amino acid score for lysine in rice-and wheat-based diets, and for threonine, leucine, and isoleucine in wheat-based diet when used in a 70:30 cereal: pigeonpea ratio.Pigeonpea is consumed in various forms some of which are described below.oTempeh.This is prepared in combination with soybean.Tempeh is prepared by fermenting soaked, denuded, and cooked pigeonpea seed with a Rhizopus mould.The seed is spread on a mesh, and the mould is allowed to grow on the surface and through the seed, forming a compact cake.The tempeh cake is cut into pieces and fried before eating.o Ketchup (sauce).This is prepared by fermenting pigeonpea in salt solution with Aspergillus oryzae, A. niger, and Rhizopus sp.The fermentation is continued in brine solution.Then it is cooked to prepare a sauce. FodderLac is produced by a scaled insect (Laccifera lacca Kerr).This insect inhabits on small tree branches in clusters and produces a hard exudate to protect itself.These clusters are harvested and the hard exudate HRDP SDS no 141.Cleaning and grading of seed.The dry husk, inert material, and small shrivelled seeds are discarded by using sieves.