Patent ID: 6465031
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: A23L

Abstract:
A process for reducing flatulence caused by ingestion of a legume comprising:(a) soaking a cleaned legume in a water bath having stagnant, sprayed or flowing water at a first temperature which is above ambient temperature but less than the critical rehydration temperature of the legume and under conditions effective to rehydrate the legume to at least 50% by weight of that of a fully hydrated legume; (b) soaking and heating the rehydrated legume of step (a) at a second temperature and at a pH ranging from about 5.5 to about 9.0 under conditions effective to diffuse flatulence-causing oligosaccharides from the legume to the soak water and to permit the naturally occurring oligosaccharide reducing enzyme present in the legume to digest any remaining flatulence-causing oligosaccharides present therein to produce a legume that has substantially all of the flatulence-causing oligosaccharides removed therefrom, said second temperature being greater than said critical rehydration temperature and said first temperature, but less than the inactivation temperature of said enzyme; and (c) soaking the legume product obtained from step (b) in a water bath at a third temperature, under conditions effective and for a time sufficient to initiate starch gelation, said third temperature being greater than the first and second temperatures and the inactivation temperature of the oligosaccharide reducing enzyme and below the temperature at which blanching of the legume product would occur; and (d) optionally blanching the legume product of step (c).