Iron and Folate Contents of Tajik Legumes

Abstract

Seven varieties of Tajik legumes and two Tajik snack type ready-to-eat (RTE) whole/split chickpeas were analyzed for iron in raw and cooked legumes and for naturally occurring folate content in cooked legumes. Iron was measured according to AACC method 40 - 41B. Folate contents were determined by microbiological (Lactobacillus casei subsp. Rhamnosus ATCC 7469) and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis utilizing a tri-enzyme treatment (pro-tease, α-amylase and conjugase). Folate derivatives of tetrahydrofolate, 5-formyl-tetrahydrofolate and 5-methyl- -tetrahydrofolate were identified and quantified. Iron content for Tajik legumes ranged from 5.52 to 13.27 mg/100 g for raw; 2.81 to 4.12 mg/100 g for cooked and 4.37 and 4.76 mg/100 g for RTE chickpeas. The total folate content of cooked legumes ranged from 53 to 81 µg/100 g for beans; 133 to 203 µg/100 g for peas, and from 39 to 22 µg/100 g for small and large lentils, respectively. The predominant form of folate in legumes was tetrahydrofolate, followed by 5-formyl-tetrahydrofolate and 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate.