Nutritional Evaluation and Protein Quality Assessment of Green Peas (Pisum sativum L.) Treated with Different Cooking Methods.

Abstract

Green peas (Pisum sativum L.) are recognized as a sustainable source with protein content ranging from 23.1 to 30.9% on a dry basis. Data regarding the impact of household cooking methods on pea protein quality remain limited. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of four cooking methods - steaming (S4), boiling (B4), slow cooking (SC1), and pressure cooking (PC30) - compared with a control (without cooking treatment) on the nutritional profile, including protein content and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD). SC1 was identified as the selected method, producing 6.52 ± 0.43% protein (wet basis) and 30.89 ± 0.51% IVPD. Slow-cooked peas showed an increase in the concentrations of both essential and non-essential amino acids compared to the control. The Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) of slow-cooked peas increased when compared to the control, except for sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs). Although the threonine concentration increased after slow cooking for 1 h, threonine remained the limiting amino acid in the cooked pea protein, with a DIAAS of 14.64 ± 0.04%, showing that even effective cooking could not overcome inherent threonine limitations. This study provides quantifiable benchmarks to support the nutritional security of plant-based diets under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).