Bioavailability of phenols and flavonoids in processed mung Beans and cowpea

Gastrointestinal digestion affects the availability of bioactive compounds in food, but understanding this in legumes is limited. The main objective of the study was to assess the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion on the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant capacities of mung beans (MI6) and cowpea (Waruni). Raw and boiled red cowpea (Waruni) and mung beans (MI 6) were digested with synthetic gastrointestinal enzymes, and polyphenol and flavonoid content, phenolic acid composition, and antioxidant capacity were analysed. Results indicated that digested boiled mung beans and red cowpeas had significantly high (p<0.05) total phenol, flavonoid content, and antioxidant capacity compared to their respective undigested raw forms. After simulated digestion, boiled mung beans and red cowpeas demonstrated significantly higher (p < 0.05) quinic acid content compared to their respective digested raw samples. Boiled mung beans and red cowpeas exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) high bioavailability of total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity compared to their raw forms. These findings suggest that boiling and digestion play a vital role in increasing the functional properties of legumes, particularly in enhancing the availability of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity.