Effect of Processing Treatments on Functional Properties of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Seeds

Lepidium sativum L. commonly known as garden cress, is a member of the Brassicaceae family. Garden cress is multipurpose plant that has been reported in various ayurvedic texts for its therapeutic and functional properties. Garden cress is one of traditional medicinal plant loaded with nutrients. In the present study, garden cress seeds were quantitatively analyzed as whole, roasted, popped and germinated forms, for selected functional properties viz. total phenols, condensed tannin content and Insoluble dietary fibre profile. The results revealed that different processing treatments improved the nutraceutical properties of garden cress seeds by increasing their total polyphenols and condensed tannins content and also its antioxidant activities. Germinated cress seeds had the highest significant per cent rise of 24.42 mg/100g total phenols in comparison to raw seeds. There was more than 50 per cent rise (52.17%) in condensed tannins content during 48 hrs. of germination giving value of 0.35 mg/100g. Roasted seeds contained maximum cellulose (19.26%) content followed by germinated (14.10%), raw (9.26%) and popped seeds (5.92%).