Dehusking and cooking are essential and important component of processing of chickpea to enhance the digestibility of essential nutrients of grains. Protein and dietary fibres are important due to their role in lowering plasma cholesterol and other health advantages. Changes during dehusking and dehusking followed by cooking on soluble protein, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectin contents of four genotypes of desi type (BG 256, JG 74, KWR 108 and DCP 92-3), four genotypes of kabuli type (BG 1053, KAK 2, JKG 1 and L 550) and two genotypes of green type (Sadabahar and BDG 112) of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) were studied. The cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin of grain decreased to an extent of 21.6 %, 29.6 % and 27.3 % respectively on dehusking, whereas pectin recorded an increase of 26.2 % on dehusking. The cooking of dehusked grain registered a marginal increase in cellulose, lignin and pectin, but a decrease in hemicellulose content. The soluble protein recorded an increase of 21.3 % on dehusking and 26.6 % increase on cooking, as compared to unprocessed grain.
Keywords: Cellulose; Chickpea; Cooking; Dehusking; Hemicellulose; Lignin; Pectin; Protein.