Abstract
Bioprocesses like germination and fermentation tends to improve the nutritional quality of cereal based foods. It has been demonstrated that the bioprocesses reduce the phytate contents and improves the bioavailability of minerals in cereals. The present study explains the effect of germination and fermentation on the mineral availability, phenolic and phytic acid contents of some of the Pakistani wheat cultivars. Three wheat cultivars (Fsd-08, Lasani-08 and Shafaq-06) were germinated, fermented or germinated plus fermented. Phytic acid contents were found to be maximum in control i.e without any treatment (1.27%, 1.44%, 1.47%) followed by germinated flour (1.10%, 1.24%, 1.28%) and minimum was found in germinated and fermented flour (1.02%, 1.04%, 1.02%). Similarly, polyphenol content decreased significantly due to processing techniques (Control: 0.74%, 0.67%, 0.64%; germinated flour: 070% 0.63%, 0.62%; germinated and fermented flour: 0.67%, 0.60%, 0.57%). Total and HCl extractable minerals (Ca, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe, Na and K) improved as an effect of bioprocesses like germination and fermentation. There was a good relation observed between reduction in non-nutritional compounds and increase in mineral extractability by germination and fermentation treatments.