MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Enhancing Nutritional Quality and Functionality of Legumes: Application of Solid-State Fermentation With Pleurotus ostreatus

Summary

Researchers used a mushroom fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus) to ferment lentils, chickpeas, and soybeans, making them more nutritious and easier for the body to digest. The fermentation process reduced harmful compounds called antinutrients while boosting protein content and antioxidant power. This simple bioprocessing method could help create healthier plant-based foods that rival animal protein sources in nutritional quality.

Background

Legumes are important protein sources but contain antinutrients that reduce digestibility and nutrient bioavailability. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) using microorganisms can degrade antinutrients and enhance nutritional profiles. This study investigates SSF with Pleurotus ostreatus fungus as a bioprocessing approach for legume improvement.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of solid-state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus on nutrient composition, anti-nutrient content, antioxidant activity, and protein digestibility of lentils, chickpeas, and soybeans.

Results

SSF with P. ostreatus increased protein content and digestibility in all three legumes. Fermentation significantly reduced phytate and tannin content and enhanced DPPH radical scavenging activity, with the greatest antioxidant effects observed at 14 days of fermentation. Protein digestibility increased from 78.63-85.84% to 85.02-95.15% across the legumes studied.

Conclusion

Solid-state fermentation with P. ostreatus enhances the nutritional quality and functional properties of legumes by increasing protein digestibility, improving antioxidant potential, and reducing antinutrients. The fermented legumes can be introduced as functional food ingredients, though further in vivo studies and optimization for industrial scaling are needed.
  • Published in:Food Science & Nutrition,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41140439, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.70783
Scroll to Top