Nutritional characterisation and bioactive components of commercial carobs flours

Food Chem. 2014 Jun 15:153:109-13. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.12.045. Epub 2013 Dec 14.

Abstract

Food industry is interested in the utilisation of legume flours for the improvement the nutritional quality of cereal based foods. In this context, this research aimed at investigating the beneficial properties of different commercial carob seed flours -Ceratonia siliqua L.-. In particular, we determined chemical parameters (protein, fat, ash, soluble and insoluble fibre) by standard AOAC methods, lignans (secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, isolariciresinol, pinoresinol) by HPLC methods, the Total Polyphenol Content (TPC) by the Folin Ciocalteau method and the antioxidant properties by the FRAP assay. The carob germ flour and the raw carob seed flour reached the highest insoluble fibre, lignan and total polyphenols content and these results were matched by their antioxidant properties. Different carob flours showed a different distribution of the various lignans.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Aqueous-organic extract; Carob flours; Lignans; Residue; Total Polyphenol Content (TPC).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / analysis
  • Dietary Fiber / analysis
  • Fabaceae / chemistry*
  • Flour / analysis*
  • Flour / economics
  • Lignans / analysis
  • Nutritive Value
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Plant Proteins / analysis
  • Seeds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Lignans
  • Phenols
  • Plant Proteins