Evaluation of Cooking Properties of Vegetable Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) Genotypes

Nowadays, there is an increased demand for the less expensive plant-based protein sources. Due to its high protein content, legumes are considered as poor man's meat. Vegetable soybean belongs to the same species as grain soybean, are harvested at R6 growth stage (full pod) when the seeds are still immature and green but fully developed inside the pods (80-90% of the pod cavity). This contrast with the dry mature harvest (R8 stage) of grain soybean. In the present study, the cooking properties of 11 vegetable soybean genotypes and one check variety (DSB34-Contrl) at the R6 and R8 stages were analysed. The results of the study found significant variation (p<0.01) among all the selected genotypes at both the stages. Among the R6 stage samples, AGS447 genotypes exhibited the highest swelling capacity, swelling index, cooked L/Bratio and cooked 100 seed weight. The cooking time of R6 stage samples ranged between 35.33-38.75min. The large seed genotype AGS447 observed the highest swelling capacity and index, hydration capacity and index, cooked L/B ratio, and elongation ratio. Cooking time and water uptake ratio of grain types soybean (DSB34) was significantly higher than vegetable soybean genotype at R8 stage. The solid gruel loss of AVSB2001 and AVSB2004 were high and Karune found the lowest value. Soaking and cooking are fundamental preparation steps for beans consumption, which increases the digestibility of protein, maximum retention of nutrients, reduces the antinutrients and improves the sensorial attributes.