PHYTATE CONTENT OF SOME POPULAR KUWAITI FOODS

The phytate content in some foodstuffs popular in Kuwait, including bread, rice, and legumes, was determined by an ion-exchange procedure. The phytate content in certain bread types and uncooked rice, peas, and beans is presented. The cooking of selected foodstuffs resulted in reduction of phytate content. The phytate content in different varieties of bread ranged from 0 to 0.2%. The brown arabic bread, made up of whole wheat, showed 72% mom phytic acid content than did the white arabic bread. The phytate content in different varieties of uncooked rice ranged between 0.05 and 0.22%. When rice was cooked after steeping in excess water and then the excess water discarded, the phytic acid concentration decreased 82%. When the rice was cooked without removal of excess water, phytic acid concentration decreased only 31%. Green peas and beans contained 0.38 and 0.15% phytic acid, respectively. When they were cooked in excess water and then the excess water discarded after cooking, the phytic acid content decreased 58 and 65%, respectively.