Improving the Nutritional Quality of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) by Gamma Irradiation

The present investigation aims to study the possibility of using gamma irradiation for improving the nutritional quality of faba bean. Samples of faba bean seeds were exposed to gamma radiation at doses of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 kGy. Then the effect of irradiation on the contents of macro nutrients in seeds was determined. Moreover, the contents of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in non-irradiated and irradiated samples were determined in addition to assessing the antioxidant activity in samples by measuring the DPPH radical scavenging activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (F R A P) in the ethanolic extracts of seeds. Water absorption properties of seeds as affected by irradiation treatments were also determined. Furthermore, the possible applications for the use of irradiated faba bean in food products were studied. Experiments were conducted to determine whether irradiated faba bean can enhance the oxidative stability in deep fried falafel as compared with non-irradiated faba bean. Meanwhile, the potential of meat balls (kofta) formulation with inclusion of powder of irradiated faba beans was investigated with the evaluation of antioxidant activity and oxidative stability in non- irradiated and 4.5 kGy irradiated meat balls as affected by formulation with the powder of non-irradiated and irradiated faba bean. The results showed that significant, but not major, differences were observed in the proximate chemical composition between samples of nonirradiated faba beans and those irradiated at doses up to 10 kGy.The contents of total phenolic compounds in samples of nonirradiated faba beans reached 220.55±0.040 µg gallic acid equivalent /g dry matter, while the total flavonoids in nonirradiated samples were 106.33±0.450 µg quercetin equivalent /g dry matter. Meanwhile, the extract of non-irradiated faba bean seeds had DPPH value of 21.16±0.02% and FRAP value of 1.457±0.0061 (as O.D)