Abstract
Legumes are major ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, playing an essential role in developing countries. Grain legumes, such as lentil, chickpea, pea, lupin and beans, among others, are recognized as good sources of proteins, starch, fiber, vitamins and minerals for human nutrition, being an essential food crop for people worldwide. Due to their nutritional and techno-functional properties, legumes are widely used by the food industry as ingredients in a wide range of products for general and specific groups of the population, including vegetarians, diabetics or celiac patients. The Special Issue “Legumes as Food Ingredients: Characterization, Processing, and Applications” covers key aspects regarding the nutritional quality of legume flours and their derived products, as well as the health benefits of some of their bioactive components. The amounts of antinutritional components, such as certain allergens that might pose risks to sensitized consumers, are reported to be reduced by processing. Several pretreatments, including fermentation with lactic bacteria and yeasts, are used to improve the nutritional and sensory profile of the legume-derived products, increasing their acceptance by consumers.
Highlights
Introduction to the Special IssueLegumes as Food Ingredient: Characterization, Processing, and ApplicationsReceived: 29 September 2020; Accepted: 20 October 2020; Published: 23 October 2020 AbstractLegumes are major ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, playing an essential role in developing countries
Governmental and Health Agencies recommend as a healthy habit the regular consumption of legumes. These are largely used as ingredients by the food industry, being employed in a wide range of processes, including heat treatment, roasting, milling, canning, germination and fermentation, among others, that might influence their nutritional and sensory profile
Lentil seeds are a source of high-quality proteins, being increasingly used in food industry as ingredients in a wide range of food formulations
Summary
Introduction to the Special IssueLegumes as Food Ingredient: Characterization, Processing, and ApplicationsReceived: 29 September 2020; Accepted: 20 October 2020; Published: 23 October 2020 AbstractLegumes are major ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, playing an essential role in developing countries. Grain legumes and their derived products are increasingly used in food industry due to their nutritional composition and technological properties. The presence of bioactive compounds in legume seeds has been reported to exert beneficial effects in terms of tackling chronic disorders, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammatory and carcinogenic processes.
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