Effect of instant controlled pressure drop process on some physicochemical and nutritional properties of snacks produced from chickpea and wheat

The chickpea and wheat seeds were processed using laboratory-scale equipment of instant controlled pressure drop process (DIC) to produce nutritious snack products. In this study, we present the results concerning the effect of various DIC-processing variables, moisture content, steam pressure and processing time on some physicochemical (water absorption (WAI) and water solubility (WSI) indices) and nutritional properties (total phenolic and phytic acid contents, starch gelatinisation and digestibility values). Among the DIC-processing conditions, processing pressure and time had the highest significance rather than the moisture content. DIC process increased the total phenolic content of chickpea by approximately twofold, whereas it usually decreased in that of wheat. Severe processing conditions such as long processing time and high steam pressures generally led to an increase in WAI, WSI and starch gelatinisation as well as phenolic content, but a decrease in the antinutritional factor of phytic acid content within the working limit of the study. DIC treatment significantly increased the level of starch gelatinisation and digestibility of snack products.