Moisture dependent textural and antioxidant properties of buckwheat

Pseudo cereals namely Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) is gluten-free grains characterized by an excellent nutrient profile. They have been used as nutritious ingredients in gluten-free formulations. They have been considered as underutilized food material in India and used mainly used in fasting days. Functional properties of buckwheat based foods are due to proteins and many rare components with healing effects. Among them, the most attractive ones are flavones, flavonoids, phytosterols, fagophyrins, and thiamine-binding proteins found in buckwheat grains. Hence, the knowledge about the textural properties and antioxidant properties of buckwheat grains is important for designing processed foods. In this regard, the study of the textural as well as antioxidant properties of buckwheat grain in the moisture content range of 9% to 17% wb. was conducted. Five different levels of moisture content in this range were selected. Textural properties particularly initial cracking force, initial cracking energy were evaluated and antioxidant properties such as total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of buckwheat seeds, buckwheat whole kernel, broken and parboiled kernel were determined in this range. At the given moisture levels, initial cracking force varied from 4.50N to 5.69N in this moisture range, intial cracking energy varied from 26.16Nmm to 44.29Nmm and antioxidant activity such as total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity varied from 286.09 to 625.05 mg/100g and 70.94% to 87.55% of parboiled kernel and buckwheat seeds, respectively.