Functional properties of germinated and non-germinated cereals : A comparative study

Cereal grains play an important role in human nutrition which is useful both for infants and adults. The practice of germination of cereal grains has become popular now-a-days. The present research was carried out to study the functional properties of germinated and non-germinated cereal flours (wheat, maize, sorghum). Bulk density and tapped density were increased in germinated maize but decreased in germinated sorghum and wheat. In germinated wheat and sorghum flour, carr index, foaming capacity, foaming stability and swelling capacity were increased but decreased in germinated maize flour. The water holding capacity of germinated wheat (GW), germinated maize (GM) and germinated sorghum (GS) (0.93g/g, 1.91g/g and 2.06g/g respectively) was found as higher than the non-germinated wheat (NGW), non-germinated maize (NGM), non-germinated sorghum (NGS) (0.5g/g, 1.27g/g and 1.16g/g respectively). Germination process increased oil holding capacity, emulsion activity, emulsion stability and acidity of all three flour samples. The oil holding capacity of maize flour (1.75g/g) was increased which was higher than the other samples. Germinated sorghum had higher acidity (0.97%) than other germinated cereals. The pH value of germinated wheat, maize and sorghum flour was decreased due to germination. The observed functional properties indicated that germinated flours may have important functional ingredients for preparation of different snacks, baked products and other food product