Effect of cooking methods on protein content and neurotoxin (β-ODAP) concentration in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) grains

Abstract

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is an important food legume crop but notorious for plant neurotoxin β-N-Oxalyl-L-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP), causing neurolathyrism to human and animals. The study aimed to compare changes in physical and chemical parameters of 13 genotypes of different geographic origins in pre & post-boiling, microwaving and autoclaving. The results showed significantly different effects of pre and post-cooking treatments on genotypes and cooking methods independent of one another. The genotypes from South Asia exhibited higher β-ODAP content compared to the genotypes from other region. Significantly negative correlation was noted between protein content and β-ODAP concentration across the treatments under boiling (r = −0.555**) and microwave (r = −0.342*) treatments. Boiling was the best treatment and significantly reduced β-ODAP concentration by 70%. Its reduction percentage remained 30%, and 14% under microwaving and autoclaving, in the same order. Therefore, boiling was recommended over other treatments for safe human consumption of grass pea seeds.