A Master’s Thesis was Defended in the College of Agricultural Sciences About the Raw Alpha-Galactosidase Enzyme
A defence of a master’s thesis titled (The Use of Raw Alpha-Galactosidase Enzyme in Removing Complex Raffinose Sugars from Some Legume Types) was conducted at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences at the University of Baghdad. The thesis was presented by the student Sabah Nasif Jasim from the Department of Food Sciences.
The thesis aimed to use the purified alpha-galactosidase enzyme to compare its performance with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to use different pH conditions suitable for the alpha-galactosidase enzyme. It involved incubating the samples at different temperatures and durations to determine the amount of complex RFOs sugars and find the optimal conditions for removing the highest amount of RFOs sugars.
The researcher recommended the possibility of soaking treatment under optimal conditions for chickpeas and beans, followed by drying and selling them to merchants. Further research could be conducted on other legume types such as peas and lentils, and the preparation of baby food from processed chickpeas and beans. A nutritional study could be carried out to determine the complete removal of RFOs sugars and assess the impact of these treatments on cooking time reduction. Additionally, the use of other enzymes like invertase in RFOs sugar removal should be explored, along with the recommendation to study RFOs sugar removal using modern techniques such as Ultra Sound and Hydrostatic Pressure, as well as sprouting-based removal methods. The consumer acceptability of these methods should also be examined.