Characteristics of a Chocolate Beverage from Germinated Chickpeas

A chocolate flavored beverage was developed using germinated chickpeas ( Cicer arietinum ). The formulation included the legume at a level of 10% along with sugar, cocoa, salt, vegetable oil and water as main ingredients. Beverage prepared from germinated chickpeas showed reduced viscosity and improved consistency when compared with a control formulated from ungerminated chickpeas. A reduction of 15% in starch occurred during germination and probably accounted for most of the observed decrease in viscosity. The acceptability of the beverage was established by sensory evaluation. A paired preference test indicated no significant difference between germinated chickpea beverage and a commercial chocolate milk.