Antioxidant activities of cereal-legume mixed batters as influenced by process parameters during preparation of dhokla and idli, traditional steamed pancakes.

Dhokla and idli are popular breakfast foods in India. The objective of the present study was to evaluate their antioxidative properties during different stages of preparation. The effects of fermentation on the enhancement of antioxidative activities were reflected by a higher total phenol content (TPC) in the fermented batters, which also displayed better antioxidative activities than their unfermented batters and steam-cooked products. Fermentation enhanced>2.5-fold TPC and>125% reducing activity. The fermented batters were better free-radical scavengers, which increased in a time and dose-dependent manner, than either the unfermented batters or their steamed products. There was significant enhancement of metal-chelating and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activities during fermentation. The TPCs of both dhokla and idli extracts were positively correlated with the respective values of other parameters, suggesting a possible role of phenolics in the extracts as the antioxidant. The data also revealed a strong correlation between any two of these five parameters tested.