Impact of steam explosion and high-pressure processing on phenolics of beach pea and Dunn pea: a comparative evaluation of their functional benefits.

Authors

Sarusha Santhiravel, Fereidoon Shahidi

Published in

Food production, processing and nutrition. Volume 8. Issue 1. Pages 59. Epub Aug 10, 2026.

Abstract

The effects of steam explosion (SE) and high-pressure processing (HPP) on the phenolic composition, distribution, and biological activities of beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus L.) and Dunn pea (Pisum sativum var. avense) were investigated. Phenolic fractions were extracted as free (FP), esterified (EP), glycosylated (GP), and insoluble-bound (IBP), and their profiles were characterized using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. In untreated samples, phenolics were predominantly present in the IBP fraction. Both SE and HPP significantly altered phenolic distribution by reducing IBP, EP, and GP fractions and increasing FP content, indicating enhanced release of bound phenolics. SE exhibited a greater effect on phenolic liberation but resulted in their higher overall loss, whereas HPP preserved more total phenolics due to milder processing conditions. A total of twenty phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and stilbenes, were identified, with notable redistribution across fractions following treatment. These compositional changes were associated with enhanced biological activities of the FP fraction, including increased radical scavenging (nitric oxide and peroxyl radicals), improved inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and greater protection against low-density lipoprotein oxidation and DNA strand scission. The extent of phenolic release and functional enhancement varied between the two legumes, highlighting matrix-dependent responses. Overall, SE and HPP effectively improved the extractability and functionality of phenolics, with implications for developing value-added functional food ingredients from underutilized legumes.

PMID:
42577213
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Aug 2026.

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