Application of High Hydrostatic Pressures and Refrigerated Storage on the Content of Resistant Starch in Selected Legume Seeds

Resistant starch (RS) is a fraction of starch not digested and absorbed in the small intestine, and it is fermented by the intestinal microbiota in the colon, thereby influencing many health benefits. Legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas are rich in fermentable dietary fiber, and RS can be included in this fiber group. These legumes are not considered a “typical” source of starch and have not been extensively studied as a source of RS. There are still insufficient data on modern non-thermal methods like high-pressure processing (HPP) and combining this method with refrigerated storage. The study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of HPP and HPP combined with refrigerated storage on the RS content of legumes, particularly white beans, green lentils, and chickpeas. Different pressure levels and processing times were used to evaluate changes in RS content and to assess the total fiber content and fiber fraction of the tested legumes. Our study showed that the increase in pressure and pressurization time affected changes in the RS content of the examined legumes. Furthermore, the cooling process of previously pressurized samples resulted in a significant increase in RS content.