Processing is an important and essential component to enhance the digestibility of essential nutrients of grains. Dietary fibres play an important role in bringing health advantages in chickpea and help in lowering plasma cholesterol. Changes during soaking and soaking followed by cooking on cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectin contents of four genotypes of desi type (KWR 108, JG 74, DCP 92-3 and BG 256), four genotypes of kabuli types (KAK 2, JKG 1, BG 1053, and L 550) and two genotypes of green seed type (BGD 112 and Sadabahar) of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum, L.) was studied. Cellulose, lignin and pectin increased during soaking and cooking, whereas hemicellulose increased during soaking but decreased drastically during cooking. Cellulose recorded an overall increase of 40% during cooking, followed by 15.7% and 15.2% increase in pectin and lignin, respectively during cooking of chickpea grain. Hemicellulose, on the contrary showed a decrease of 26.8% during cooking.
Keywords: Cellulose; Chickpea; Cooking; Hemicellulose; Lignin; Pectin.