CHARACTERIZATION OF THE WHOLE AZUKI BEAN FLOUR

Azuki beans (Vigna angularis) is a pulse that is widely cultivated and consumed in countries such as Japan, Korea and China. It has small grains and a characteristic sweet taste. In Brazil it is still little produced and consumed. Thus, strategically, obtaining whole bean flour (ABWF), and its use in food products, is a way of popularizing its consumption. The present work aimed to obtain and characterize the whole bean flour. To obtain ABWF, the grains were fragmented in the grinder and turned into flour in the cone mill. Water activity (Wa), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), centesimal and mineral composition were then analyzed. All analyzes were performed in triplicate and the means and standard deviations were calculated. The mean Wa, WAI and WSI values were 0.59±0.00, 2.56±0.06g/g and 45.50±2.06%, respectively. For the food industry, the higher the value of the WAI, the better the quality of flour for making bread products. Its solubility is related to its protein quality, so it was found in ABWF 20.33±0.26% (d.b.) of proteins. The maximum moisture content of flour allowed by Brazilian law is 15% and in ABWF only 9.44±0,69% was obtained. ABWF presented 66.12% (d.b.) of carbohydrates and only 0.21±0.12% (d.b.) of lipids; the ash content was 4.00±0.40% (d.b.). It also presented significant values of calcium (141.03±1.07mg/100g), iron (5.61±0.28mg/100g) and zinc (4.38±0.09mg/100g). Other minerals found were copper (0.69±0.04mg/100g), phosphorus (319.51±8.02mg/100g), magnesium (209.22±3.14 mg/100g) and potassium (1649.68±10.71mg/100g). A low moisture content was observed; a high protein content, a low lipid content and an excellent mineral element content. Thus ABWF has presented a good nutritional profile and potential for use in bakery products.