Phytic acid content of three legumes in the raw, cooked and fibre forms

Phytate was extracted on an anion‐exchange column and determined colorimetrically. More phytate could be extracted from beans using trichloroacetic acid and warming at 60°C than by using hydrochloric acid extraction. The phytic acid contents of three starchy legumes, namely butter beans, broad beans and lentils, in the raw forms were found to be in the range 0.86–1.5%. On cooling, phytic acid was reduced markedly in lentils and butter beans (by 60 and 50%, respectively), while for broad beans only 11% was lost. The fibre‐rich fractions of the three legumes showed low phytic acid contents (0.11–0.43%).