Mucuna pruriens fiber: nutritional, functional and biological properties

Abstract An evaluation was done of the nutritional, functional and antioxidant properties of fiber residues from Mucuna pruriens bean. Nutritional value was quantified in terms of proximate composition, total dietary fiber (TDF), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and the Van Soest fiber components. Functional value was assayed by measuring water holding capacity (WHC), oil holding capacity (OHC), water absorption capacity (WAbC), water adsorption capacity (WAdC) and organic molecule absorption capacity (OMAC). Emulsifying capacity was also studied. Biological potential was identified by measuring antioxidant properties, as well as phenols and flavonoids content. Nutritionally, M. pruriens fiber registered 26% of raw fiber, 77.65% TDF, 69.40% IDF and 8.25% SDF. Van Soest fiber components were 61.35% acid detergent fiber (ADF), 66.86% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 13.62% acid detergent lignin (ADL). Cellulose and hemicellulose content were 47.73 and 5.51%, respectively. Fiber functional potential values were 3.24 g/g sample for WHC, 1.65 for OHC, 3.61 for WAbC, 0.24 for WAdC and 1.19 for OMAC. The highest emulsifying capacity was registered at pH 4. Antioxidant activity was observed in assays as reducing power, DPPH and ABTS•+, being possibly attributed to components as phenols (2624.80 μg of gallic acid equivalents/mg), and flavonoids (232.71 μg catechin equivalents/mg), quantified at 20mg/mL.