Abstract
Plant-based diets have received considerable attention for balancing human health and environmental sustainability. This study investigated the effects of fermentation with Lactobacillus fermentum FL-0616 on probiotic-rich mung bean, chickpea and tiger skin kidney bean powders. A particle size distribution experiment showed that the particle size of probiotic-rich bean powder was significantly reduced and the specific surface area was increased. This was critical for improving the dissolution rate, wettability and dispersibility. Simultaneously, the angles of repose and slide of the fermented bean powder were significantly reduced. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that particle size of the bean powder decreased and became more uniform after fermentation. The results of dynamic and static rheology jointly demonstrated that fermentation improved the flowability of probiotic-rich bean powder, which was related to its decreased particle size. This study provides a technical foundation for the deep processing of bean resources. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05668-5.