Comparison of the pretreatment methods for enhancing hydration of water-soaked adzuki beans (Vigna angularis)

Five pretreatments methods, cold plasma, pressure drop, heating, and bath-type and probe-type sonications were compared to shorten the rehydration process of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) soaked before the cooking in terms of the hydration and softening efficacies. Moisture content and water activity of the probe-type sonicated beans were most dramatically increased as 11–45% and 0.59–0.97 after soaking for only 2 h, respectively (non-treated: 11–12% and 0.59–0.66). Accordingly, the probe-type sonicated beans were most rapidly softened as 27–5 N in the 2 h-soaking and exhibited the lowest hardness after soaking/cooking as ~ 0.97 N (non-treated: 27–21 N and ~ 5.5 N, respectively). According to scanning electron micrographs, these results can be attributed to formation of prominent fissures or scars in the hilum of the probe-type sonicated beans. Consequently, this study will be provide valuable information for developing a rational process in food industry to shorten the rehydration of the adzuki beans.