Descascarillado/SuavizacióN/ExtrusióN(DSE): Alternativa tecnológica para mejorar la calidad nutricional del garbanzo (Cicer arietinum L.)

The effect of dehulling/softening/extrusion process on quality characteristics of fresh and hardened chickpeas (Cicer arielinum L. var Blanco Sinaloa 92) was studied. The hardening of seeds was produced using accelerated storage (33-35 °C, relative humidity of 75%, 180 d). Four samples were assessed: Conventionals flour from fresh and hardened chickpeas, and extruded flours from fresh and hardened chickpeas. The physicochemical, functional and nutritional characteristics of chickpea flours were evaluated. Quality protein studies were performed on growing male Wistar rats fed test diets (10% protein) for a 3 d preliminary acclimation period and 28 days for protein efficiency ratio determination. Net protein ratio, apparent and true protein digestibility values were measured for 8 d period during test days 18-26. The extruded flours showed higher values (p=0.05) of total color difference (24.0-28.7 vs 19.0-20.8) and water absorption index (2.32-3.27 vs 27.5-30.8 g gel/g solids, DM), and lower values(p=0.05) of water solubility index (20.1-26.1 vs 27.5-30.8 g solid/g original solids) than conventional flours. The dehulling/softening/ extrusion process improved (p=0.05) apparent protein digestibility (from 78.9-81.7% to 84.0-87.1 %), true protein digestibility (from 82.5-84.8% to 87.3-91.2%), protein efficiency ratio (from 1.30-1.47 to 1.78-1.87) and net protein ratio (from 2.63-2.82 to 2.97-2.99) of chickpea flours. The dehulling/ softening/extrusion process could be applied to improve nutritional quality characteristics of fresh and hardened chickpea.