The effect of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid on the antioxidant properties of sprouted grain

Background. One of the ways of grain processing is the use of germination technology, which makes it possible to increase the nutritional value and use the resulting raw materials in the technology of creating food products. Among the new approaches, we can consider the use of solutions of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in combination with ultrasound exposure as an effective method of increasing antioxidant properties in germination technology.
Purpose. The aim of this study is to identify the effective concentration of exogenous GABA, which increases the antioxidant properties of sprouted grain to the greatest extent.
Materials and methods. The following samples were selected as objects of research: wheat, barley and oats. Before the germination process, the grain was treated with ultrasonic exposure in distilled water (control) and solutions of exogenous GABA (experiment). Two-factor planning was used, variable factors were: GABA concentration (1, 3, 5%) and germination duration (12, 24, 36 hours); controlled – total antioxidant activity. For optimized samples of sprouted grain, the following nomenclature of indicators were studied: energy and germination ability, the content of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds, as well as the total antioxidant activity.
Results. Using mathematical modeling, the concentration of exogenous GABA solutions and the duration of the germination process were optimized, which for wheat grain was 4.1% and 29.3 hours; for barley – 4.2% and 29.5 hours and for oats – 3.1% and 49.6 hours. The increase in the indicator "Germination energy" was 5.0% for wheat grain; barley – 3.1% and oats – 4.2% relative to the control, and for the indicator "Germination ability" – 6.2%; 2.0% and 4.0%, respectively. In the germinated experimental samples, the content of flavonoids increases by an average of 18% (wheat grain); 16% (barley grain) and 64% (oat grain). The increase in polyphenolic compounds was 47%; 50% and 69%, and the total antioxidant activity increased by an average of 20.6%; 18.3% and 16.6% for wheat, barley and oat grain samples, respectively.
Conclusions. Our studies have confirmed that the use of exogenous GABA solutions under ultrasound exposure can be used as a promising technology to increase the intensity of germination processes and increase the antioxidant properties of sprouted grain.

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