Résumé
Background: There has been growing interest in pulses as a source of plant-based protein with a low negative environmental impact. However, the French sector is struggling with the low diversity of crop cultivars that are subject to various phytopathologies. To assess the technological suitability for canning of different Kabuli chickpea cultivars, it is particular interest to analyse the kinetics of water uptake and hardness changes during canning to determine the rate of softening, as measured by a physical test and evaluated by a sensory panel. Methods: Kabuli chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) were soaked in filtered water at 63 °C for 1 h and sterilized at 115 °C under various values of cumulative thermal lethality (F-value up to 18 min). A standardized textural test (miniature Kramer shear cell) was developed for characterizing the chickpea hardness (Fmax) after canning process and a sensory analysis was performed. Results: For all tested chickpeas cultivars, a similar decrease in hardness was observed with increasing lethality F-value. A 1st-order kinetic model (Fmax versus F-value) was fitted for one chickpea cultivar and validated for other cultivars. The optimal hardness of canned chickpeas was set at Fmax = 12 N/g w.b (F-value = 11 min), defined as the point where the maximum of panel members was satisfied. Conclusion: The establishment of softening kinetics and acceptability threshold serves to identify the optimal canning process conditions for various Kabuli chickpea cultivars. This approach could form the basis for developing an efficient sterilization process, aiming to minimize energy and water consumption, while offering products that meet consumer expectations.