THE ROLE OF ALKALINE TREATMENT ON SAPONIN IN AFRICAN YAM BEANS
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Saponins are an important group of plant secondary metabolites that are widespread throughout the plant kingdom. They are phytochemicals which are found in most vegetables, beans and herbs. Alkaline treatment commonly employed in food processing, can affect the bioavailability of saponins. This study investigated the role of alkaline treatment on saponin profiles in treated and untreated African yam beans. This research focused on the assessment of how saponin concentrations are influenced by alkaline treatment. Using standard procedures of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), results showed reductions in saponin level after alkaline treatment. This could have been attributed to the elevated pH created by the alkaline solution leading to the breaking down of the glycosidic bonds between the sugar moieties and their aglycone, consequently reducing the bitterness and anti-nutritive factor of the treated beans. Hence alkaline treatment of African yam beans potentially increases the nutritional value for subsequent applications.
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