Germination - a tool to control lipid behaviour

Germination – a tool to control lipid behaviour Lipids are basic energy reserves and structural and functional compounds of grains and seeds. In cereal food and feed they have an essential role in serving as a well-balanced source of nutritionally important fatty acids and energy. However, during processing of cereals lipids might undergo unwanted reactions which can develop processing problems and cause lowering of nutritional value and formation of off-flavours and off-odours. Malting consisting of steeping, germination and kilning is an old biotechnological tool to modify grain structure and composition. In a germinating grain storage compounds are mobilised in a controlled way. Along with the breakdown of storage reserves and modification of cell wall structures, the enzyme pattern of the grain is totally changed. It is also known that antioxidative compounds are developed during germination of cereals. One might consider that the changes during germination have a drastic influence on lipid compounds and lipid structures of the grain. However, the results have shown that the breakdown of lipids is minor during a germination process. In addition, no free fatty acid pool is developed but the formed fatty acids are used concurrently with the hydrolysis to controlled biological reactions. What is most important, lipids of germinated grain seem to be protected from unwanted reactions in further applications were germinated grains are ground and used for food and feed processes. The further studies have shown that e.g. the susceptibility to oxidation decreases during germination. Results have also indicated that lipid extractability and availability are changed by germination and can be further modified by different drying or kilning schemes according to the requirements of following applications.