Lectins
Number of plants contain phytohemaglutinins known as lectins, aglutinins or hemoaglutinins. Lectins are able to agglutinate erythrocytes in livestock because of interaction of lectins and sugars present on the cell membrane surface, especially erythrocyte's. Lectins affected nutrient absorption, mainly protein's. It's caused by bond between lectin and intestinal surface and following decrease their absorp function. Lectins has mainly harmful effect on growth of animals. Lectins toxicity is variable, e.g. lectins in maize or barley are relatively nontoxic, but feeding high level of green bean can caused even death in rats in consequence of lectins toxicity contain in green beans.
Soya contain aglutinine. Aglutinin decrease insulin level in blood, degenerative changes in liver and kidney, prohibit absorption of iron and fat (LEINER, 1994).<\p>
Lectins is possible to inactivate by heat treatment, their biologic activity is destructible mostly by wet way (steaming), but not by dry heat. If we want to obtain as high nutrient value as possible, it's necessary to treat by heat whole seeds in leguminous especially.