Effect of Fermentation and Autoclaving on Dietary Fiber Fractions and Antinutritional Factors of Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The effect of fermentation on antinutritional factors and also on total dietary fiber (TDF), insoluble (IDF) and soluble (SDF) dietary fiber fractions was studied in beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The processes studied were two types of fermentation (lactic acid and natural), and a portion of the obtained flours were processed by autoclaving. The dietary fiber (DF) content and its components were determined using the enzymatic−gravimetric and enzymatic−chemical methods. The TDF content ranged from 24.5% dry matter (DM) in the raw to 25.2% DM in the processed beans. All the processing treatments significantly decreased the SDF content, and irrelevant changes were noticed in the IDF content of processed beans. Cellulose content of all samples was reduced by the processing treatments. Correspondingly, higher amounts of resistant starch was observed in the processed beans, except in the lactic acid fermented ones. However, the levels of pectic polysaccharides and Klason lignin were higher in the samples fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum. The action of microorganims was determinant for the different degradation of the bean cell wall, disrupting the protein−carbohydrate integration, thus reducing the solubility of DF. Keywords: Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.); antinutritional factors; dietary fiber; carbohydrates; fermentation conditions; autoclaving