Effect of Germination on Antioxidant Capacity and Protein Characteristics of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) with Implications for Food Processing Applications

Abstract

Featured Application: Germinated chickpea with enhanced antioxidant capacity and improved protein-related characteristics may be used as a value-added plant-based ingredient for food processing applications requiring higher protein solubility and reduced phytic acid. This study investigated the effects of germination on the antioxidant capacity and protein characteristics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) with a focus on processing-induced biochemical and structural modifications relevant to food applications. Raw, soaked, and germinated chickpeas were comparatively analyzed to evaluate integrated changes in antioxidant activity, protein composition, amino acid profiles, and anti-nutritional factor. Antioxidant-related properties were assessed using total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), while protein-related characteristics including soluble protein, amino acids, and sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) profiles were examined alongside phytic acid content. Germination significantly enhanced antioxidant capacity, with TPC increasing from 0.91 to 1.64 mg GAE/g, and DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP values also markedly elevated compared with raw samples. Soluble protein content increased from 72.79 to 82.86 mg/g, while phytic acid content decreased from 92.49 to 59.49 mg/g. Free amino acids, particularly alanine, histidine, and phenylalanine, showed substantial increases following germination. SDS–PAGE and densitometric analysis revealed a redistribution of protein fractions, characterized by a reduced intensity of high-molecular-weight protein bands and a relative increase in intermediate molecular weight proteins, indicating partial proteolysis and structural modification of storage protein. These findings demonstrate that gemination acts as a biochemical processing step that enhances antioxidant potential, improves protein-related nutritional attributes, and reduces antinutritional factors, supporting the use of germinated chickpea as a functional plant-based ingredient for food processing applications.