Irradiation and germination effects on phytate, protein and amino acids of soybean.

Influence of irradiation (0.05-0.20 kGy) and germination (24-120 hours) in distilled and tap water on phytate, protein and amino acids of soybean, was studied. Phytate values significantly decreased with increasing germination period and irradiation dose (P less than 0.01). Irradiation independently decreased the original phytate (212.0 mg/100 g) to a range value of 205.0-190.0 mg/100 g depending upon dose level. Germination of unirradiated seeds for 120 hours in distilled and tap water lowered the phytate to 55.0 and 94.9 mg/100 g (74.1 and 55.2% reduction) respectively. Maximum destruction of phytate to levels of 20.5 and 50.9 mg/100 g (90.3 and 76.0% reduction) occurred during germination of 0.20 kGy samples for 120 hours in distilled and tap water respectively. Total protein content significantly increased during germination (P less than 0.05) and the increase was more in tap than distilled water. Germination for 120 hours of untreated seeds in tap water increased the essential and decreased non-essential amino acids while in the 0.10 kGy sample, increases in both cases were observed.