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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of dehulling/soaking on the chemical, functional and anti‐nutritional contents of three varieties of beans. This research work involved comparative study of the underutilized bean species with the commonly consumed beans in Nigeria.

Three species of legumes were used for this study. The cowpea seeds were divided into two parts. One part was milled and packaged for raw flour while the other part was dehulled and soaked for 30 min, dried in the oven, milled and packed. For the pigeon pea and African yam beans, the raw beans were milled and packaged while part of the seeds was steamed for 5 min and the coats were removed. The dehulled beans were soaked for 30 min, dried in the oven, milled and packaged. Chemical, functional and anti‐nutritional content were determined on the samples.

Fat content ranged from 0.95 to 1.98 per cent. Ash and crude fibre ranged from 1.98 to 6.13 and 2.41 to 7.90 per cent, respectively. Raw cowpea had the highest calcium content (3.86 per cent) while pigeon pea had higher value in magnesium content (2.01 per cent). Raw African yam beans had the highest iron content (23.44 per cent). Bulk density, swelling index and water‐absorption capacity ranged from 0.53 to 0.92 g/cm³, 2.3 to 5.9 and 0.9 to 2.8 ml H₂O/g, respectively. African yam bean had higher values in oxalate, phytate and tannin contents while cowpea had higher saponin content. Raw flour of pigeon pea had higher value in trypsin inhibitor.

This work enables us to make use of the underutilized beans. These beans were higher in nutrients than the cowpea used. Processing of these beans will make them useful for human nutrition without imposing any health problem to the consumer. They could also be converted to flour and used in formulating food such as weaning food.

The purpose of this paper was to analyse the present status of the information available on rice bean [Vigna umbellata (Thunb.)] cultivars with respect to its nutritional and functional characteristics. It is one of the non-conventional and under-utilized beans of South and Southeast Asia. In northeastern regions of India, it is an important crop for shifting cultivation or kitchen garden which is consumed as vegetable (tender pod) and pulse. The information gaps filling could be useful for several work proposals and for consumers and cultivators to know the nutritional strength and varied usability of the grain which in-turn can help in its commercialization.

The approach to information collection was emphasized on nutritional strength of the grain compared to other beans of Vigna family and the varied usability among the rice bean varieties of the Himalayan Belt.

The average carbohydrate, protein, fat, crude fibre and ash content of 75 genotypes of rice bean was found 59.96 ± 2.81, 20.78 ± 2.65, 1.74 ± 1.42, 5.07 ± 1.17 and 4.44 ± 1.03 per cent, respectively. It has high quality protein with all essential amino acid in balance manner. Among the minerals, it contains calcium, iron, zinc and potassium with high bio-availability of calcium (59.8 ± 0.3 per cent). The factors such as flatulence producing saccharides, trypsin inhibitors, polyphenols, phytic acid, saponin and tannins of rice bean were reported to be in the range of 3.28-5.87 per cent, 55.12-163.98 TIU/g, 0.58-1.82 1.88-8.17, 1.2-3.1 and 0.24-1.55 per cent, respectively. The toxic compounds such as hydrogen cyanide (0.09 mg/100 g) and L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (0.36 mg/100 g) is lowest in rice bean. The nutritional advantages of rice bean over the other beans of Vigna family were required to emphasize to induce interest among the researchers, producers and consumers.

In view of the recommended daily requirements with respect of amino acids, vitamin-B and minerals, rice bean could be a major component of the diet to fulfill them. However, the scanty information available on nutritional and functional components of rice bean varieties grown in northeastern India calls for the gap filing research to explore full potential of the bean.

The information about differences among the northeastern varieties of rice bean available on nutritional functional components essentially required the updating of research data to explore full potential and utility of the bean.

Child undernutrition is a persistent problem in Africa, especially in areas where the poor largely depend on starchy staples with limited access to diverse diets. The purpose of this study was to determine the protein quality, growth and rehabilitating potential of composite foods made from quality protein maize.

Four composite diets were prepared from quality protein maize, namely quality protein maize-soybeans; quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas; quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans and quality protein maize alone. A fifth diet was prepared from common maize alone. The control diet (Chesta®) was made from maize, soybeans, fish, bone and blood meal. The formulations were made to meet the greatest amino acid score and the desired amount of energy and fat according to the FAO/WHO (1985) recommendation for pre-school children. Albino rats were used in evaluating the protein quality of the formulations.

The food intake was significantly different (p < 0.05) among diets; with a trend of intake decreasing from quality protein maize-based to conventional maize alone diets (apart from the control diet). Protein efficiency ratio and net protein ratio varied significantly (p < 0.05) across the experimental diets. Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) was 80 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas), 87 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans), 103 per cent (common maize alone), 98 per cent (quality protein maize), 80 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans) and 53 per cent (control).

Two diets, namely quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans and quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas, showed the greatest potential to support growth and rehabilitation of undernourished rats. Human trial is proposed to validate the findings.

Despite adoption of quality protein maize in several parts of the country, there are no studies that have been done to determine the potential of quality protein maize to support optimal growth and rehabilitation of undernourished children. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the protein quality, growth and rehabilitating potential of composite foods made from quality protein maize.

Soybean has great nutritional potential. Its high protein content makes it an alternative protein source to milk in situations where milk cannot be used due to allergic reactions or intolerance. However, the potential benefits of soybean might be limited by the presence of antinutritional factors, including trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of dehulling and germination on the nutritive value of the soy flour and on the factors that could negatively affect the nutritional potential of the bean.

Soybean seeds were soaked for 24 h and allowed to germinate for one to three days. Soaked soybeans were manually dehulled and the flours obtained were evaluated for nutritional and antinutritional factors.

Dehulling and germination produce significant increase in crude protein and crude fiber and ash content (p = 0.05). Crude fat and starch content decreased, but the reduction was insignificant. Trypsin inhibitor levels were significantly lower after germination and dehulling of the seeds (p = 0.05).

Dehulling and germination are cost-effective processing techniques to improve the nutritional quality of the legume.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rice flour obtained from rice grains with different levels of amylose on technological, nutritional and sensory properties of cookies made with a blend of rice and cowpea flour.

The cookies preparation was set at a ratio of rice flour and cowpea beans 70:30. The studied formulations were: LA: low amylose rice flour; MA: medium-amylose rice flour; HA: high amylose rice flour. The quality of the obtained cookies was analyzed for proximate composition, in vitro protein digestibility, thickness, diameter, dispersion factor, texture, color, amino acid profile and sensory properties.

Proximate composition and in vitro protein digestibility showed no differences between the three studied formulations. The medium and low amylose rice flour cookies showed the lowest hardness values. The combination of rice and beans allowed a good balance of essential amino acids. The cookies formulated with high amylose rice flour presented lighter coloration, low hardness and greater sensory preference.

Rice and cowpea flours are an alternative source for the preparation of gluten-free bakery products, such as cookies. The high amylose content of rice flour has less negative interference in the texture characteristics of the cookies. The combination of rice and beans flour provides a balance of essential amino acids.

I felt myself the recipient of a great honour when asked to read a paper on this subject before your Society. One difficulty, however, at once confronted me, and that was that what your society might regard as an act of sophistication of food, I might believe to be only a perfectly legitimate manufacturing improvement. I had no wish to masquerade before you as a wolf in sheep's clothing, and therefore stated my position to your secretary. As a result of some correspondence, I think that he, as your representative, and I, both felt that granted such differences of opinion, they themselves constituted one of the strongest arguments in favour of the formation of a Court of Reference. There are, no doubt, many processes which are considered by their inventors and users as of advantage in the manufacture of food, whereas others regard them with the greatest distrust and aversion. In most cases I believe the members of both these classes to be high‐minded and honourable men. That being so, it is submitted that the best method of arriving at the real facts is the establishment of an impartial, broad‐minded, and capable Court of Reference, to which such matters should be submitted for examination and decision.

African yam bean (Sphenotylis stenocarpa), bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and lima bean (Phaseolus luunatus) are some of the minor grain legumes found in Nigeria. Their utilization has been very limiting because little is known about their nutritive value. The proximate, minerals and antinutritional factors of two collections of African yam bean, lima beans and pigeon pea, and one collection of bambara groundnut seeds grown in south‐western Nigeria were studied.

Dry seeds of two collections of African yam bean, pigeon pea and lima beans, and a collection of bambara groundnut were collected from Oyo and Ondo States in south‐western Nigeria. The legumes were sorted, milled and stored in polythene bags at 4°C.

The crude protein in the legumes was in the range of 22–37 per cent, crude fat 1.47–4.96 per cent, crude fibre 1.92–7.21 per cent and ash 3.33–5.61 per cent. K, Ca and P were in the range of 0.15–0.52 per cent. Iron content of the seeds was very low. The antinutrients, tannin, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor were very high when compared to those of cowpea, groundnut and soybean.

It therefore implies that consumption of these legumes will require processes that will reduce their antinutritional factors.

Black turtle bean has nutritional potentials in the human diet and could provide a significant amount of food in developing countries. Low consumption of black beans has been attributed partly to the hard-to-cook phenomenon which requires a long time of cooking. Germination improves nutritional, functional, bioactive compounds, reduces anti-nutrients and cooking time. Germinated black turtle bean can contribute to efforts geared towards the production of functional foods and the fight against protein malnutrition. This study aims to investigate the changes in the nutritional, antioxidants and functional properties of black turtle bean due to different epigeal germination times to increase its utilization in food systems.

Black turtle bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris) were cleaned, winnowed, washed, soaked for 16 h, drained and subjected to epigeal germinated at ambient temperature for 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. The germinated seeds were dried, dehulled, milled and sieved. Proximate, antioxidant properties and activity, anti-nutrients, mineral (calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, manganese, copper, potassium, zinc and magnesium) and functional properties (water absorption capacity, oil absorption, bulk density, swelling index, water solubility index and gelling concentration) of the germinated black turtle bean (GTB) flour (0GTB, 24GTB, 48GTB, 72GTB and 96GTB) were determined using standard procedures.

The ash, protein, fat and fibre contents of the black turtle bean were significantly increased through germination. Germination resulted in changes in the antioxidant activity of the black turtle bean samples. The mineral content of the black bean samples was improved significantly by germination and as well altered the functional properties (p < 0.01). Oxalate and phytate were significantly reduced with increased germination time (p < 0.01). In total, 96 h germination (96GTB) had better antioxidant activity, mineral and proximate composition with lower anti-nutrients.

Germination for 96 h proved to be the optimum time for improved mineral content, increased protein, ash, fibre, antioxidant activity and property with reduced antinutrients. Germination represents an attractive, inexpensive means of improving the nutritional profile and enhancing the bio-functionality of the black turtle bean. The epigeal germinated turtle bean could find applied as a functional ingredient in food formulation.

Iron deficiency anaemia and zinc deficiency are major public health problems across the globe. Cereals and pulses are important vegetarian source of minerals like zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), however, poor digestibility impairs proper availability of micro minerals in the body. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) were selected for study as they are important pulse crops consumed worldwide. Therefore, in order to remove antinutrients and enhance bioavailability of nutrients in chickpea and cowpea, extrusion cooking was selected as a technology and its impact was studied by an in vitro method. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Four chickpea cultivars, two desi (K 850 and PUSA 362) and two kabuli (PUSA 1108 and PUSA 1053) and one cowpea (Gomati) cultivars were selected for the study. Pulses were processed in a laboratory using a single screw food extruder. Raw and extruded pulses were analysed for antinutrients content, micronutrients content (Fe, Zn) and their bioavailability.

Extrusion cooking significantly decreased phytate in all cultivars of chick pea and cowpea with highest reduction (72.92 per cent) in PUSA 362; similarly, tannin and trypsin inhibitor decreased by 87.5 and 71.54 per cent, respectively, in Gomati cultivar of cowpea. All cultivars showed significant increase in protein digestibility. Iron bioavailability in all samples enhanced significantly; however, only 50 per cent cultivars (K 850, PUSA 362 and PUSA 1108) showed improvement in Zn bioavailability.

The present research therefore brought the outcome as an enhanced in vitro protein digestibility and bioavailability of micro mineral and protein in certain pulses having minimized antinutrients. Therefore, it is concluded that extrusion cooking is an effective tool in enhancing protein and micro mineral bioavailability.

The Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programme (HGSHP) in Nigeria provides primary school pupils across the country with one meal daily. The purpose of this paper is to standardize the HGSHP meals in Osun State and determine the energy, protein and mineral contribution to the school children's daily nutrient intake.

All the HGSHP meals served school children were studied. Questionnaire, standardization of recipe and chemical analysis were employed to evaluate the HGSHP meals and to suggest improvement.

All the meals were cooked. Dishes composed of a mixture of a legume (cowpea) commonly called beans, a cereal (maize or rice) or tuber (yam) taken with a soup or stew and fish or egg. The bean meals were high in protein and carbohydrate. All the dishes had very low zinc content and did not meet 30 per cent of the school children's daily zinc requirements.

This paper may be the first to evaluate the nutritional contribution of school meals in Nigeria.