Exploring the factors contributing to texture loss in lentil cv. Anicia during cooking

Lentils are gaining attention with the rise of plant-based diets, yet their consumption remains limited, partly due to poor canning quality. To identify the factors affecting canning performance in Anicia lentils, three seed batches differing in quality were analysed in the dry state, during soaking, and during cooking. Assessments included seed appearance, morphology, histology, composition, mechanical properties, and hydration behaviour. High-quality seeds had a lower initial hydration rate during soaking and a lower moisture equilibrium during cooking (140 % vs. 180 %), linked to greater deformability. They contained less amorphous starch (10 % vs. 15 %), more pectic homogalacturonans (1.3 % vs. 1.1 %) in cotyledons, and fewer intercellular spaces. These findings clarify the roles of the lentil seed coat and cotyledons, particularly with regard to pectin and starch, in water absorption and texture loss during cooking.