The lentil is a valuable crop for human nutrition and is cooked to adequate softening prior to consumption. The objective of the study was to use a model to point out the effects of seed maturity on optimum cooking time (OCT). Two lentil seed samples (cv 'Dimitra') exhibiting short (SCT) and long (LCT) cooking times (CT) were visually separated into brown- and green-colored categories, corresponding to mature and immature seeds, respectively. The 1000-seed mass and the percentages of maturity categories were measured in samples before they were subjected to 20-60 min CT. Absolute positive force (APF)-based texture analysis parameters were monitored during CT. OCT thresholds were established by correlating the organoleptic with the texture analyzer parameters. The averaging and weighted averaging of the texture analysis parameters, or even their modeling, failed to produce a realistic OCT due to texture values exceeding the OCT threshold. However, the modeling of the percentage of cooked seeds during CT predicted a realistic OCT, which was also validated later. In this model, all seeds (overcooked or intact, mature or immature) were taken into account. Among the texture parameters, APF better described cooking. Mature seeds softened faster and produced more overcooked seeds than did the immature seeds. The different proportions of maturity categories within the SCT and LCT seeds greatly affected the sample OCT.
Keywords: Lens culinaris Medik; absolute positive force; cooking time; optimal cooking time; organoleptic method; seed maturity; texture analysis.