Innovative Application of Phytochemicals from Fermented Legumes and Spices/Herbs Added in Extruded Snacks

A trend related to adding legume seeds to various products has been observed. This work aimed to use fermented red bean/broad bean seeds and their hulls to produce extruded snacks with more beneficial nutritional properties and good sensory quality. Extruded snacks containing fermented ground seeds (50%) or hull (10%) of red bean/broad bean and corn grits with the addition of selected herbs/spices (0.5%) were prepared. The chemical composition, phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and sensory quality were analysed. The results showed that the protein content ranged from 9 to 22.9 g 100 g−1, phenolic compounds ranged from 3.97 to 12.80 mg 100 g−1 (with the addition of herbs/spices, even up to 62.88 mg 100 g−1), and antioxidant activities ranged from 4.32 to 10.23 Trolox g−1 (ABTS assay), depending on the type of fermented materials. The addition of ground seeds/hull did not influence the consumer desirability, whereas the addition of selected herbs/spices, particularly lovage, increased it. The application of fermented red bean and broad bean seeds and their hulls, as part of the assumptions of the planetary diet, enabled enrichment of extruded corn products, which are often consumed by vegans and vegetarians, with nutritionally valuable ingredients.

Nutraceutical Properties of Legume Seeds: Phytochemical Compounds

Legume seeds have an important role as nutraceuticals in human health (providing protein, carbohydrates, fiber, amino acids, and micronutrients) and act as sustainable food sources in livestock farming and aquaculture. Legume seeds contain a wide range of bioactive compounds that have significant health benefits, mainly classified under phenolic compounds, phytosterols, oligosaccharides, carbohydrates, and saponins. Some of these compounds play an important role in plant defense mechanisms against predators and environmental conditions. Heat-labile antinutritional factors (protease inhibitors and lectins) and heat-stable antinutritional factors (tannins and phytic acid) can be reduced by thermal treatment or postharvest to eliminate any potential negative effects from consumption. Substantial studies have demonstrated that these bioactive compounds possess multiple biological activities, including antioxidant properties, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardiovascular protective. They also have various values for aquaculture, such as fishmeal alternative. In this review, the main bioactive compounds and important biological functions of legume seeds are summarized, and the mechanism of action is discussed.

The Soybean High Density ‘Forrest’ by ‘Williams 82’ SNP-Based Genetic Linkage Map Identifies QTL and Candidate Genes for Seed Isoflavone Content

Isoflavones are secondary metabolites that are abundant in soybean and other legume seeds providing health and nutrition benefits for both humans and animals. The objectives of this study were to construct a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genetic linkage map using the ‘Forrest’ by ‘Williams 82’ (F×W82) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (n = 306); map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed daidzein, genistein, glycitein, and total isoflavone contents in two environments over two years (NC-2018 and IL-2020); identify candidate genes for seed isoflavone. The FXW82 SNP-based map was composed of 2075 SNPs and covered 4029.9 cM. A total of 27 QTL that control various seed isoflavone traits have been identified and mapped on chromosomes (Chrs.) 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 19, and 20 in both NC-2018 (13 QTL) and IL-2020 (14 QTL). The six QTL regions on Chrs. 2, 4, 5, 12, 15, and 19 are novel regions while the other 21 QTL have been identified by other studies using different biparental mapping populations or genome-wide association studies (GWAS). A total of 130 candidate genes involved in isoflavone biosynthetic pathways have been identified on all 20 Chrs. and among them 16 have been identified and located within or close to the QTL identified in this study. Moreover, transcripts from four genes (Glyma.10G058200, Glyma.06G143000, Glyma.06G137100, and Glyma.06G137300) were highly abundant in Forrest and Williams 82 seeds. The identified QTL and four candidate genes will be useful in breeding programs to develop soybean cultivars with high beneficial isoflavone contents.

Risk Factors for Eating Disorders and Perception of Body in Young Adults Associated with Sex

(1) Background: The integrated approach to the prevention and treatment of eating disorders (EDs) requires knowledge and can be used only when specific risk factors are known. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in food choices and eating behavior between males and females; (2) Methods: This study comprised 148 females and 27 males aged from 18 to 26-years-old (MEAN ± SD = 21.4 ± 1.86 years old). Information about EDs was obtained from four different measures: the body mass index (BMI), the eating disorder screen for primary care (ESP), a standardized and validated questionnaire called “My Eating Habits” and the food frequency questionnaire with 10 answers (FFQ-10); (3) Results: The risk for developing eating disorders was detected in nearly 67% of respondents. It was also shown that EDs were more common in females and how body weight affected the way individuals feel about themselves. Females showed more unhealthy eating habits, which contributed to dietary restrictions and emotional overeating, as they were also afraid of gaining weight. The frequency of eating meat and drinking alcohol was higher in males, whereas eating legume seeds was less frequent in females. (4) Conclusions: This study opens a new field, which will help health care professionals recognize the problems with eating disorders and treat them based on different sex characteristics.

Productivity of long-term bean grass in single-species and compatible with anwless bromegrass feed agrophytocenoses

Goal. Establish the best perennial legumes when grown in single-species and compatible fodder agrocenoses with stokolos boneless and the effectiveness of the use of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-mobilizing bacterial preparations, as well as liming. Methods. General scientific − hypotheses, inductions and deductions, analogies, generalizations and special − field, laboratory, mathematical and statistical, computational and comparative. Results. Based on the generalization of literature sources, it is proved that the creation of sown grasslands, with high content of perennial legumes on meadows and arable lands, which are derived from intensive cultivation is one of the most promising areas of organic onion growing. Productivity of single-species crops of perennial legumes and their mixtures with boneless stalk on average for five years after the yield of 1 ha of dry mass in the version without fertilizers ranged from 5.12 to 8.38 tons, which is 1.7−2.5 times more in comparison with a grassy grass stand which is formed from one-species crops of a stokolos of a boneless. The highest productivity and level of symbiotic nitrogen accumulation (191−266 kg / ha) were provided by agrocenoses with the participation of alfalfa, and the lowest - meadow clover. The efficiency of soil liming during sowing of grasses and application of inoculation of seeds of perennial legumes with nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-mobilizing preparations is given. Changes in the chemical composition of feed under the influence of the studied factors are also shown. Conclusions. Different types of perennial legumes and their mixtures with boneless stalk without fertilizers provide productivity in the range of 5.12−8.38 t / ha of dry weight, which is 1.7−2.5 times more than the grass cover, which is formed from single-species sowing of stokolos bezzostoy. Inoculation of perennial legume seeds with nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-releasing microbiological preparations increases the productivity of perennial legumes and their mixtures with cereals by 2−6%, and soil liming before sowing – by 3−11%. The greatest effect is provided by the combined use of these bacterial drugs. Alfalfa sowing responds best to their use and liming.

Effects of Non-Thermal Plasma Treatment on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Leguminous Plants—A Review

The legumes (Fabaceae family) are the second most important agricultural crop, both in terms of harvested area and total production. They are an important source of vegetable proteins and oils for human consumption. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment is a new and effective method in surface microbial inactivation and seed stimulation useable in the agricultural and food industries. This review summarizes current information about characteristics of legume seeds and adult plants after NTP treatment in relation to the seed germination and seedling initial growth, surface microbial decontamination, seed wettability and metabolic activity in different plant growth stages. The information about 19 plant species in relation to the NTP treatment is summarized. Some important plant species as soybean (Glycine max), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), mung bean (Vigna radiata), black gram (V. mungo), pea (Pisum sativum), lentil (Lens culinaris), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and chickpea (Cicer aruetinum) are discussed. Likevise, some less common plant species i.g. blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius), Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), and mimosa (Mimosa pudica, M. caesalpiniafolia) are mentioned too. Possible promising trends in the use of plasma as a seed pre-packaging technique, a reduction in phytotoxic diseases transmitted by seeds and the effect on reducing dormancy of hard seeds are also pointed out.

An Up-Scalable and Cost-Effective Methodology for Isolating a Polypeptide Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Inhibitor from Lupinus albus Seeds

One of the most challenging problems with food-borne bioactive compounds is that there are commonly no cost-effective, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) methods for obtaining gram quantities of their purified forms. Here we aimed at developing a method to isolate deflamin, an oligomeric protein from lupin seeds with anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity through matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9 inhibition. Our goal was to develop a GRAS method that could be easily up-scalable whilst maintaining deflamin’s activity. A sequential precipitation methodology was developed, using an aqueous extraction, followed by heat denaturation, acid precipitation and solubilization in ethanol. A final precipitation with 90% ethanol yielded a purified protein which was sequenced through mass spectrometry and tested for its MMP inhibitory activity using the Dye-quenched (DQ) gelatin assay and the standard wound healing assay in HT29 cells. The developed method yielded a purified oligomer, which represented 0.1% (w/w) of total dry seed weight and was positively confirmed to be deflamin. It further showed to effectively reduce MMP-9 gelatinolytic activity as well as colon cancer cell migration, hence corroborating the effectiveness of our method. Overall, this is the first reported method for isolating an MMP-9 inhibitor from legume seeds, which is up-scalable to an industrial level, in a cost-effective manner.

Strategic directions of increase of bean production in Ukraine

Goal. Based on the results to substantiate the need for a significant increase in legume crops in Ukraine on the basis of analysis of food and feed indicators of their seeds, the impact on soil quality and the environment. Material and methods. Field – determination of features of growth and development of plants, elements of seed productivity; biometric and measuring-weight – accounting of yield and total biomass; biochemical – determination of protein, fat and other components of seeds; statistical – variation, regression and analysis of variance. Results and discussion. The significant nutritional value of legume seeds, which is rich in high-quality protein with a high content of essential amino acids, isoflavones, essential micronutrients, is substantiated. It is distinguished by high taste, quickly swells and boils, has a pleasant aroma. This group of crops is able to fix nitrogen from the air, provide for their own needs and leave a significant amount of it in the soil for subsequent crop rotations. Legumes should be considered in the crop rotation system together with winter wheat as fallow crops. Their synergistic effect on subsequent crop rotations is explained by the peculiarity of the microflora of the root zone, where symbiotic and free-living bacteria are concentrated. Observations indicate the need to increase crops of pea, chickpea and lentil in Ukraine, as there are all the necessary conditions - adapted to insufficient moisture varieties, developed technology for their cultivation, accumulated positive experience for obtaining high yields. Conclusions. Based on our own results and analysis of the experience of many countries around the world revealed the importance of legumes for our country. Their role in providing high-quality food, improving soil quality, increasing the country’s export potential is noted