The destruction of β‐glucosidase activity by oven‐drying and its effect on formononetin estimation in red clover

It has been shown that oven‐drying red clover samples at temperatures exceeding 80°C reduces the apparent formononetin content. Incubation of the high temperature dried samples with β‐glucosidase enzyme resulted in the recovery of formononetin levels comparable to those found in freeze‐dried material. There was no evidence to show that high oven temperatures affected the formononetin‐glucosides.