Composição química de oito cultivares de feijão-caupi

Beans are one of the most produced foods in the whole national territory, being intense the search for productive cultivars, with good culinary characteristics and different nutritional properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of cooking on the centesimal composition of eight cultivars of cowpea: Costela de Vaca, BRS Marataoa, BRS Itaim, BR 17-Gurgueia, BRS Novaera, Paulistinha, Setentao and Patativa. The grains were submitted to two different procedures to perform the analyzes: in natura (flour) and cooked (with maceration) under pressure. The determinations of moisture, ashes, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, energy, pH, acidity, and sugars were carried out. All analyzes were performed in quadruplicate in the in natura and cooked cultivars, and the results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The results showed that the moisture content varied from 7-11% in the raw cultivars, with increase after cooking (60-70%). Whereas, the content of proteins, ashes, carbohydrates, energetic value and sugars, decreased in all the cooked cultivars. It can be concluded that, among the cultivars analyzed, the Setentao showed the highest protein content, before and after cooking. Even with a reduction in the other parameters, the cultivars of cowpea maintained relevant nutritional and functional characteristics, presenting a cooking time between 8 and 10 minutes, being considered fast cooking and therefore adequate to meet the current demand of consumers.