Impact of couscous reinforcement with pulses on the biochemical and microbiological profile

Abstract

Combining pulses and cereals allows our body to have all the essential amino acids (in lysines and methionines) and helps strengthen the fiber content through various minerals and vitamins of group B. This combination allows obtaining a protein assimilation rate higher by 30 to 50% than consuming it separately. The aim of this study is to compare the quality of a pulse-enriched couscous (bean, chickpea and lentil) to 30% and 50% with a couscous made from 100% wheat. The comparison was based on physical tests (moisture, water activity, swelling index and color index), biochemical tests (dietary fiber, protein levels, ashes, fat and carbohydrates) and microbiological tests (total germs, yeasts and molds). The results obtained showed that pulses couscous is more interesting from a conservation point of view (Aw = 0.52) compared to the one based on 100% wheat (Aw = 0.62). The nutritional quality of pulses-based couscous (ash content, protein and dietary fiber) is more appreciable than that of durum couscous. The more couscous is rich in pulses the more its nutritional profile is important (less fat and carbohydrates). Only couscous reinforced with chickpea is less rich in protein (10.21g/100g MS) than that based on wheat (12.10g/100g MS). On a microbiological level, we also noticed that the more reinforced couscous is in pulses the more its microbial load goes down either for the total germs or for the yeasts and molds.

Keywords

• couscous
• légumineuse
• blé
• fortification
• valeur nutritionnelle
• charge microbienne