Relationships between processing conditions, mechanical and textural properties of cooked lentils

Lentils were soaked for 1 to 3 h and cooked in water or in salt solutions for 15 to 45 min. All multiple correlations between the processing parameters, the weight increase, Instron hardness measurement and sensory attributes were statistically significant. Sensory hardness and chewiness can be predicted on the basis of multiple correlations using the physical properties as independent variables. Correlations between all characteristics, their logarithms and reciprocal values showed that the experimental data gave the best approximations with the measured data, which was in agreement with McBride's observations. The other psychometric laws (Weber-Fechner, Stevens and Beidler) gave less satisfactory results, even when differences were mostly small. Increase in water content and compression measurements using Instron can be used for the prediction of sensory hardness and chewability.