The natural variations in chickpea antinutrient profiles influence the bioaccessibility of fat-soluble micronutrients in a test meal.

Fat-soluble micronutrients are essential to human health. However, their bioaccessibility may be impaired by pulse "antinutrients" such as phytates, saponins, and tannins. We investigated whether natural variations in chickpea antinutrient profiles could influence fat-soluble micronutrient bioaccessibility in a test meal. Nine chickpea batches with contrasted antinutrient contents were selected, cooked, and incorporated into test meals subjected to in vitro digestion. Bioaccessibility was determined by quantifying fat-soluble micronutrients in the micellar fraction and the digestate. Saponin profile was conserved in chickpeas after processing (R = 0.6120), whereas tannins showed an opposite trend (R = -0.7828), and no consistent link existed for phytates. Bioaccessibility of lycopene, cholecalciferol, α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and zeaxanthin significantly differed between meals containing antinutrient-rich vs. antinutrient-poor chickpeas, while intermediate profiles yielded intermediate results. Overall, principal component analysis and Pearson correlations pointed to negative associations between saponins, phytates, and most fat-soluble micronutrient bioaccessibility.