Nutrient distribution and phenolic antioxidants in air-classified fractions of beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus L.).

Beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus L.) cotyledons and hulls were air-classified into different fractions. The crude protein content (%N x 6.25) of samples ranged from 32.8 to 35.3% in cotyledons and 14.7 to 16.8% in hulls. Crude fiber content was higher in hulls fraction 1 (37.13%) and fraction 2 (36.85%) than in cotyledons (2.83, 2.99, and 3.08% in fractions 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Condensed tannins of cotyledons ranged from 5.76 to 6.90% and of hulls ranged from 52.49 to 57.24%, expressed as catechin equivalents. Minerals, namely P, K, and Zn, were higher in cotyledons, but Ca and Mn were more prevalent in hulls. Nonprotein nitrogen was concentrated in hulls, whereas phytic acid was more abundant in the cotyledons. The UV absorption pattern showed that flavonoids were present in fractions (I-III) from hulls separated on Sephadex LH-20. Fraction III from hulls had the highest content of total phenolics and condensed tannins, but no condensed tannins were detected in fractions I and II from hulls. The antioxidant activity of fractions separated on Sephadex LH-20 from hulls and crude extracts in a beta-carotene-linoleate model system was in the order of fraction III > crude extract > fraction II > fraction I. Spots on silica gel TLC plates, sprayed with a solution of beta-carotene and linoleic acid, indicated that many of the individual compounds were antioxidative in nature. Further, separation of fraction III from hulls on a semipreparative HPLC showed the presence of (+) catechin and (-) epicatechin as the main low-molecular-weight phenolic compounds present.