Bioactive Compounds in Legumes and Their Germinated Products

Nineteen domestic legume varieties, including 6 soybeans, 7 black soybeans, 4 azuki beans, and 2 mung beans, were evaluated for contents of dietary fiber, total phenolics, and flavonoids. Nine varieties of legumes (black soybean TN6, TN3, BM, and WY; soybean KS1, KS2, and KS8; azuki bean AKS5 and AKS6) were good sources of bioactive compounds and were selected for germination tests. After short- and long-term germinations, the bioactive compounds were determined and compared with compositions of isoflavones in soybeans. The reducing power of legumes correlated well with their total flavonoid contents (r ² = 0.9414), whereas less correlation was found between reducing power and total phenolics contents (r ² = 0.6885). The dark-coat seeds, such as azuki beans and black soybeans, contained high amounts of phenolic compounds and contributed to high antioxidative ability, whereas their phenolics content and antioxidative abilities significantly decreased after short-term germination due to losses of pigments in the seed coats. After long-term germination, the contents of bioactive compounds (total phenolics and flavonoids) increased again and the ratio of aglycones to total isoflavones significantly increased in black soybeans. TN3 and TN6 seeds and their long-term germinated seeds and AKS5 seeds were identified as the legume samples that might have the highest antioxidant ability according to the results of chemometric analysis. Selection of the right legume varieties combined with a suitable germination process could provide good sources of bioactive compounds from legumes and their germinated products for neutraceutical applications.

Keywords: Legume; germination; phenolics; flavonoids; isoflavones; antioxidative activity