4. Conclusions
This investigation in addition to numerous other studies confirms
that most of the bioactive phenolics and antioxidants in lentils are
concentrated in the hulls. Water was the most and hot water, the least
sensitive solvent in differentiating antioxidant activity of green and
red lentil millstreams.The benefit provided by the antioxidant
performance of lentil hull extracted by water can respond to the
requirements of numerous food manufacturers seeking to eliminate
solvent based fiber ingredients in their food. Lentil hull imparts
superior antioxidant benefits compared to whole seed and may
retain/carry that benefit when incorporated into processed foods. The
antioxidant advantage of lentil hull provides significant differentiation
and may be better than the pea hull or fibers that reduce insulin
resistance and fasting insulin levels in clinical trials (Hughes, 2010).
This study highlights both secondary processing components involving
dehulling, and tertiary level of pulse processing where the byproduct,
the hulls, have been investigated to improve their functional
antioxidant value. We have used a wide range of solvents to produce
phenolic antioxidants, and developed a platform that allows its
practical application of phytochemical antioxidant extraction as a first
step in adding value to waste products like hulls that are now used for
animal feeding.