DOI: 10.1094/CC-82-0341 |  VIEW ARTICLE

Fine Grinding and Air Classification of Field Pea.

Y. Victor Wu (1) and Nancy N. Nichols (2,3). (1) New Crops and Processing Technology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by the USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. (2) Fermentation Biotechnology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. (3) Corresponding author. Phone: 309-681-6271. Fax: 309-681-6427. E-mail: <nicholnn@ncaur.usda.gov> Cereal Chem. 82(3):341-344. Accepted March 1, 2005. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. AACC International, Inc., 2005.

Field pea has approximately 23% protein, 48% starch, 8% sugars, 4% lipids, 7% crude fiber, and 3% ash. Pin milling at 1 × 14,000, 3 × 14,000, 9 × 14,000, and 12 × 14,000 rpm followed by air classification according to particle size resulted in fine fractions (<18 μm) with high protein content and coarser fractions (>18 µm) with high starch content. The yield of the high protein fraction increased with the intensity of grinding before air classification. The starch content of the high starch fraction increased with the intensity of grinding and subsequent air classification. Both whole pea and dehulled pea responded well to fine grinding and air classification, and the dehulled pea gave higher protein content and higher starch content than the corresponding fraction from whole pea. The protein fraction had high lysine content and met all the amino acid requirements of the World Health Organization for children older than two years and adults.