CONSTITUTION OF LEGUMINOUS SEEDS .7. EASE OF COOKING FIELD PEAS (PISUM-SATIVUM L.) IN RELATION TO PHYTIC ACID CONTENT AND CALCIUM DIFFUSION

Cooking tests (single pea puncture), phytic acid analyses, water absorption and 45Ca diffusion experiments have been performed on individual peas selected from two samples of field peas (Pisum sativum L.). One sample (Avion brand) was judged by the supplier to have good cooking qualities and the other sample (3CW brand to have poor cooking qualities. The rapid rate of cooking of the interior of the pea, compared with that of the periphaeral region was not associated with a higher phytic acid content. There was no consistent difference between the distribution of 45Ca in Avion and 3CW peas that had been soaked in water containing 45Ca. There was a significant (1 % level) difference between the average loss of solids of Avion and 3CW peas that had been soaked at 25°. Pea plants were injected with 45Ca ind the peas were harvested. Autoradiograms of the radioactive peas demonstrated the movement of calcium in the seed coats and in the cotyledons during cooking. Copyright © 1969 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd