Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Lentil Sprouts Affected by Elicitation with Temperature Stress

The influences of temperature stress on antioxidant potential and nutritional quality of lentil sprouts were studied. Temperature treatments (TC, 1 h at 4 degrees C; TH, 1 h at 40 degrees C) significantly improved the nutraceutical potential without any negative effect on nutritional quality. In comparison to control, elicited sprouts were characterized by elevated content of condensed tannins, flavonoids, and total phenolics. The highest content of total phenolics and flavonoids was determined for 6-day-old TH sprouts -23.7 +/- 0.87 and 2.50 +/- 0.07 mg/(g of dry weight (DW)), respectively. The general trend of antiradical, lipid preventing, and reducing properties in elicited sprouts indicates a significantly improvement of these activities. The highest reducing power was determined for 6-day-old sprouts induced at TH (0.43 +/- 0.02 mmol of Trolox/(g of DW)), while the lowest for 3-day-old sprouts elicited at TC (0.29 +/- 0.02 mmol of Trolox/(g of DW)). Both modifications effectively elevated the ability to prevent lipids against oxidation (in 3-day-old sprouts a 3.3- and 4-fold increase for TC and TH, respectively).