ИЗУЧЕНИЕ КОЭФФИЦИЕНТА НАБУХАНИЯ СЕМЯН ЦЕРАТОНИИ СТРУЧКОВОЙ

The purpose of this work is to study the water-absorbing properties of the bean seed tissues of the wild Ceratonia siliqua population growing in Syria and cultivated on the Crete island (Greece) absorb water in a crushed state at room temperature. Сeratonia siliqua seeds endosperm accumulating polysaccharides from the group of galactomannans which is a material for the production of locust bean gum (food additive E410). It is used in the food industry as a thickener, stabilizer, in the manufacture of dairy products, ice cream, processed cheeses, sweets and soups, in the pharmaceutical industry for film emulsions, paints, varnishes, ceramics and glue production. In the available literature there are no data on the swelling ration (SR) of the seeds of Ceratonia siliqua. The researcher’s task is to establish the value of SR and study the swelling dynamics (SD) of crushed native seeds and parts (endosperm, embryos) isolated from seeds after their modification. SR was determined by the method of medicinal plant types analises containing mucus (mucilago). It was found that water absorption by crushed seeds and their parts, regardless of the Ceratonia growth place develops quite sharply and quickly. SR of crushed native seeds was 6.3-7.0. At the same time, the swelling of the Ceratonia seeds from Syria was more intense than that from Crete island. The SR level of the crushed parts isolated from modified seeds of different origins was the same: endosperm – 5.0, embryos – 3.5. The SR value of the crushed seeds in comparison with the SR of their individual parts turned out to be higher. The process of the endosperm swelling containing galactomannan polysaccharide was more vigorous than in the embryos.