# Influence of Malted Chickpea on the Composition of Volatiles in Humans
## 2 Results and Discussion
Abbreviations are as follows: OD–hummus produced from unmulated chickpeas; 1D—hummus produced from chickpeas malt germinated for 24, 48, and 72 h were characterized by a lower concentration of volatiles, from chickpeas malt germinated for 296 h; 5D—hummus produced from chickpeas malt germinated for 20 h. n.d. from chickpeas malt germinated for 20 h. n.d. from chickpeas malt germinated for 200 h.  
1-Hexanol is an alcohol associated with a beany, grassy off-flavor. However, its concentration in 1D, 2D, and 3D was approximately half that of the two times or almost two times smaller than in the 0D sample. This suggests that malts germinated for a short period of time (24-72 h) could be used in the production of hummus with a less intensive legume odor [29]. Ketones in legumes and malts are typically produced by lipoxygenases through the breakdown of fatty acid hydroperoxides [30]. One such ketone, 2-heptanone, is characterized by a fruity, spicy odor [31]. Samples 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D contained similar amounts of this compound, while its concentration increased significantly in 4D and 5D. This may indicate that lipoxygenase activity in chickpea seeds increases substantially only after 72 h of germination. Heptanal, an aldehyde formed via the autooxidation of oleic and linoleic acid--both present in the components of hummus--was found in the highest concentrations in 4D and 5D [32; 33]. In contrast, 1D, 2D, and 3D contained over two times less heptanal than 0D. These results suggest that chickpea seeds inherently contain small amounts of this aldehyde, which may be reduced during the malting process, particularly through steeping or drying. However, by 96-120 h of germination, conditions appear favorable for the subsequent autooxidation of the fatty acids, leading to increased heptanal formation [32; 33]. 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine is typically formed through the Maillard reaction between dipeptides and reducing sugars [34]. 4D and 5D contained significantly greater amounts of this compound than other samples, which exhibited similar 2,5-dimethylpyrazine levels. This suggests that the activity of hydrolytic enzymes, capable of releasing substrates for the Maillard reaction in which 2,5-dimethylpyrazine is formed, may become more active after 96 h or 120 h of germination. Unfortunately, the gathered data do not allow for pinpointing the activity of one particular enzyme or group of enzymes responsible for limiting the formation of the 2,5-dimethylpyrazine in 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D. Future studies focusing on this aspect could provide valuable insights into the enzymatic processes influencing the volatile profile of malted chickpea hummus. Benzaldehyde is another compound that can be formed through the Maillard reaction [32; 33]. Its primary precursor is the amino acid phenylalanine [35]. Characterized by an almond-like odor, benzaldehyde contributes to the aroma of various food products [36]. The germination time of the chickpea malts had a significant effect on the concentration of benzaldehyde. During the first three days of germination, benzaldehyde levels decreased, reaching their lowest concentration in the 3D sample. However, a significant increase was observed in samples 4D and 5D, where benzaldehyde content more than doubled compared to 0D. It is possible that benzaldehyde functions as a growth medi  
Figure 1: The total relative concentration of volatiles in the hummus samples. Letters (a, b, c, d) indicate homogenous groups (Tukey test, \(\alpha=0.05\)). ator and is only released after a few days of germination, but the elevated benzaldehyde level after four and five days of germination could also be the result of a higher concentration of phenylalanine and reducing sugars in germinating chickpea seeds [37]. The concentration of heptanol followed a similar pattern, decreasing in 1D, 2D, and 3D before increasing two- to three-fold in 4D and 5D. A study by [PERSON] et al.