Enhancing the Properties of Mung Beans Through Ozonation: Impact on Cooking, Functional, Thermal, Pasting, and Morphological Attributes

Ozonation process, as non-thermal processing approach, significantly impacts the quality of mung beans by altering their surface properties. The study investigated the effects of ozone concentration (500, 750, 1000 ppm) and exposure time (2, 4, 6 h) on the properties of mung beans. Results showed that increasing ozone concentration and exposure time notably improved techno-functional performance by reducing minimum cooking time (MCT), increasing water as well as oil absorption, and enhancing thermal and rheological properties etc. The minimum cooking time (MCT) was reduced to 19 min at 1000 ppm for 6 h, compared to 39 min for the control, leading to improved cooking efficiency. Water absorption increased from 1.38 to 3.40 g/g, and oil absorption from 0.90 to 1.53 g/g, indicating better hydration and binding properties. Although the water uptake ratio (WUR) increased from 1.53 to 1.83 g/g up to 750 ppm and then declined, the improved gelatinization and pasting properties at higher concentrations offset this decline. FTIR and SEM analyses revealed significant structural modifications and enhanced macromolecular interactions at 1000 ppm, improving mung bean’s textural and functional properties. Thus, ozone treatment is an effective, environmentally friendly method for enhancing mung bean techno-functional performance for legume-based products.