Nutritional assessment of raw and germinated pea (Pisum sativum L.) protein and carbohydrate by in vitro and in vivo techniques.

OBJECTIVE We assessed the effect of germinating Pisum sativum L. variant Arvense cv. Esla for 3 and 6 d in darkness on the chemical composition and nutritive utilization of protein and carbohydrates. METHODS Nutritional assessment of protein and carbohydrates was based on chemical analysis of raw and germinated pea flours and in vitro and in vivo rat balance methodologies. RESULTS Germination caused a notable decrease in alpha-galactoside content and significant increases in sucrose, glucose, and fructose. The ratio of available starch to total starch increased as a consequence of processing. The content of vitamin B2 increased significantly, whereas no significant change was observed in vitamin B1 content in germinated peas. Protein digestibility assessed with an in vivo technique (apparent digestibility coefficient) or as the percentage of dialyzable nitrogen increased significantly as a result of germination in contrast to what was observed with the in vitro pH-drop methodology. Daily food intake, nitrogen absorption and balance, percentage of retained versus absorbed nitrogen, protein efficiency ratio, and the index of available carbohydrates were significantly improved by germination for 3 d and significantly decreased by germination for 6 d. CONCLUSIONS Germination of pea seeds for 3 d significantly improves palatability of these seeds and the nutritive utilization of protein and carbohydrates.