Nutritional Constraints of Legumes and the Role of Novel Food Processing Technologies to Enhance Their Nutritional Values

Abstract

Legumes contain high amount of essential nutrients. It is the cheapest source of protein for the millions of people in developing countries. However, this interesting crop contains nutritional constraints, which reduce the bioavailability of both macronutrient and micronutrient, and limits its utilization in household and industrial level. The main nutritional constraints commonly found in legumes are trypsin inhibitor, protease inhibitor, oxalate, phytic acid, saponin, tannins, polyphenol lectins, and flatulence causing oligosaccharides. Some of this nutritional constraint reduces mineral bioavailability and absorption, protein and starch digestibility. This causes both macronutrients and micronutrients malnutrition among people those consumed as stable food. Furthermore, continuous consu