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Review
. 2019 Sep;44(3):202-215.
doi: 10.1111/nbu.12399. Epub 2019 Aug 22.

Improving pulse crops as a source of protein, starch and micronutrients

G H J Robinson  1 , J Balk  2   3 , C Domoney  1
Affiliations
Review

Improving pulse crops as a source of protein, starch and micronutrients

G H J Robinson et al. Nutr Bull. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Pulse crops have been known for a long time to have beneficial nutritional profiles for human diets but have been neglected in terms of cultivation, consumption and scientific research in many parts of the world. Broad dietary shifts will be required if anthropogenic climate change is to be mitigated in the future, and pulse crops should be an important component of this change by providing an environmentally sustainable source of protein, resistant starch and micronutrients. Further enhancement of the nutritional composition of pulse crops could benefit human health, helping to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies and reduce risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. This paper reviews current knowledge regarding the nutritional content of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.), two major UK pulse crops, and discusses the potential for their genetic improvement.

Keywords: biofortification; essential amino acids; favism; legume; resistant starch; sustainability.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest have been declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) pea and (b) faba bean crops in the field; (c) pea and (d) faba bean immature pods; (e) wrinkled pea seeds, with increased levels of resistant starch; (f) round (smooth) pea seeds of a commercial cultivar (Enigma); (g) seeds of wild pea (P. elatius), a species which has provided diversity for a nutritional trait; (h) faba bean seeds with pale testae, preferred for animal feed; (i) faba bean seeds with testae containing high levels of tannins, anti‐nutritional compounds that give a bitter taste. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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