Carbohydrates are the main components of lentils, accounting for more than 60% of their composition. Their content is influenced by genetic factors, with different contents depending on the variety.
These compounds have not only been linked to interesting health benefits, but also have a significant influence on the techno-functional properties of lentil-derived products. In this study, the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was investigated to predict the concentration of total carbohydrates, fibre, starch, total sugars, fructose, sucrose, and raffinose. NIR technology allows for sustainable and environmentally friendly analysis as it does not use chemical reagents, while also being a rapid methodology. The results obtained confirmed that there is sufficient information in the NIRS spectral region for the development of predictive models for the quantification of carbohydrate content in lentils.
This work has been carried out jointly by the University of Salamanca and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança.
