Abstract
Legume crops represent a low input cultivation system, especially suitable to grow in organic farming conditions. We report here on chemico-physical, technological and nutritional evaluation of traditional lentils (Lens culinaris L.) and grass peas (Lathyrus sativus L.), consisting in local ecotypes at high risk of extinction. Lentils and grass peas were grown either under certified organic agriculture in the National Park of Alta Murgia in the Apulia region (Altamura) or under traditional practices in internal hill areas of the National Park of Cilento (Castelcivita) and in the High Sele Valley (Colliano), in the Campania region. Results indicate that lentils and grass pea from organic and traditional farming are characterized by peculiar properties, suggesting a high nutritional quality. In particular, it was possible to point out differences among ecotypes (i) in major building elements (α-helix, β-sheet) responsible for protein functionality and (ii) in the composition of phenolic (p-coumaric, ferulic, caffeic, vanillic) acid fractions with high bioavailability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AOAC (1999) Official methods of analysis (16th ed). Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington, VA, USA
Barth A (2007) Infrared spectroscopy of proteins. Biochim Biophys Acta 1767:1073–1101
Campbell CG, Mehra RB, Agrawal SK, Chen YZ, Moneim AMA, Kawaja HIT, Yadav CR, Tay JU, Araya WA (1994) Current status and future strategy in breeding grass pea (Lathyrus sativus). Euphytica 73:167–175
Carbonaro M (2011) Role of pulses in nutraceuticals. In: Tiwari BK, Gowen A, Mckenna B (eds) Pulse foods. Academic, Oxford, pp 385–418
Carbonaro M, Mattera M (2001) Polyphenoloxidase activity and polyphenol levels in organically and conventionally grown peach (Prunus persica L., cv. Regina bianca) and pear (Pyrus communis L., cv Williams). Food Chem 72:419–424
Carbonaro M, Grant G, Cappelloni M, Pusztai A (2000) Perspectives into factors limiting in vivo digestion of legume proteins: antinutritional compounds or storage proteins. J Agric Food Chem 48:742–749
Carbonaro M, Mattera M, Nicoli S, Bergamo P (2002) Modulation of antioxidant compounds in organic vs conventional fruit (peach, Prunus persica L., and pear, Pyrus communis L.). J Agric Food Chem 50:5458–5462
Carbonaro M, Maselli P, Nucara A (2012) Relationship between digestibility and secondary structure of raw and thermally treated legume proteins: a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic study. Amino Acids 43:911–921
Carnovale E, Marconi E, Carbonaro M, Marletta L (2001) Qualità nutrizionale ed utilizzazione delle leguminose da granella nell’alimentazione umana. In: Ranalli P (ed) Leguminose e agricoltura sostenibile, Bologna, Edagricole, pp 339-379
Cliffors MN (1999) Chlorogenic acids and other cinnamates—nature, occurrence and dietary burden. J Sci Food Agric 79:362–372
Ghosh A, Panda S (2006) Pattern of variability, character association and path analysis for grain quality in mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek). Legume Res 29:114–117
Granati E, Bisignano V, Chiaretti D, Crinò P, Polignaono GB (2003) Characterization of Italian and exotic Lathyrus germplasm for quality traits. Genet Res Crop Evol 50:273–280
Grela ER, Studziaeski T, Matras J (2001) Antinutritional factors in seeds of Lathyrus sativus cultivated in Poland. Lath Lathyr Newsl 2:101–104
Hermann K (1989) Occurrence and content of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid compounds in foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 28:315–347
IBPGR and ICARDA (1985) Lentil descriptors International Board for Plant Genetic Resources and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rome
IPGRI (2000) Descriptors for Lathyrus spp. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome
Johansson E, Hussain A, Kuktaite R, Andersson SC, Olsson ME (2014) Contribution of organically grown crops to human health. Int J Environ Res Pub Health 11:3870–3893
Kebede B, Urga K, Nigatu A (1995) Effect of processing methods on the trypsin inhibitor, tannins, phytic acid and ODAP contents of grass pea seeds. Ethiop J Health Develop 9:97–103
Lee JH, Jeong SW, Cho YA, Park S, Kim Y-H, Bae DW, Chung JI, Kwak Y-S, Jeong M-J, Park S-C, Shim J-H, Jin JS, Shin SC (2013) Determination of the variations in the levels of phenolic compounds in soybean (Glycine max Merr.) sprouts infected by anthracnose (Coletotrichum gloeosporioides). J Sci Food Agric 93:3081–3086
Luthria DL, Pastor-Corrales MA (2006) Phenolic acids content of fifteen dry edible bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties. J Food Comp Anal 19:205–211
Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C, Remesy C, Jiemenez L (2004) Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability. Am J Cli Nutr 79:727–747
Nardini M, Cirillo E, Natella F, Scaccini C (2002) Absorption of phenolic acids in humans after coffee consumption. J Agric Food Chem 50:5735–5741
Nardini M, Natella F, Scaccini C, Ghiselli A (2006) Phenolic acids from beer are absorbed and extensively metabolized in humans. J Nutr Biochem 17:14–22
Rao SLN (1978) A sensitive and specific colorimetric method for the determination of α-β-diaminopropionic acid and the Lathyrus sativus neurotoxin. Anal Biochem 86:386–395
Rawel HM, Frey SK, Meidtner K, Kroll J, Schweigert FJ (2006) Determining the binding affinities of phenolic compounds to proteins by quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. Mol Nutr Food Res 50:705–713
Roy DN, Narasinga Rao BS (1968) Distribution of α- and β-isomers of N-oxalyl-α, β-diaminopropionic acid in some Indian varieties of L. sativus. Curr Sci 14:395–396
Roy F, Boye JI, Simpson BK (2010) Bioactive proteins and peptides in pulse crops: pea, chickpea and lentil. Food Res Int 43:432–442
Stodolak B, Starzynska-Janiszewska A (2008) The influence of tempeh fermentation and conventional cooking on anti-nutrient level and protein bioavailability (in vitro test) of grass-pea seeds. J Sci Food Agric 88:2265–2270
Tadesse W, Bekele E (2003) Variation and association of morphological and biochemical characters on grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.). Euphytica 130:315–324
Urga K, Fufa H, Biratu E, Husain A (2005) Evaluation of Lathyrus sativus cultivated in Ethiopia for proximate composition, minerals, β-ODAP and anti-nutritional components. Afr J Food Agric Nutr Dev 5:1–15
Xu BJ, Chang SKC (2007) A comparative study on phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of legumes as affected by extraction. J Food Sci 72:S159–S166
You Q, Wang BW, Chen F, Huang ZL, Wang X, Luo PG (2011) Comparison of anthocyanins and phenolics in organically and conventionally grown blueberries in selected cultivars. Food Chem 125:201–208
Zuchowski J, Jonczyk K, Pecio L, Oleszek W (2011) Phenolic acid concentrations in organically and conventionally cultivated spring and winter wheat. J Sci Food Agric 37:189–197
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Gaetana Casale for the help in providing lentil and grass pea ecotypes from Campania region. The research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Alimentary and Forest Politics (MiPAAF), Project “Biodiversity, soil and nutrition: sustainability of Italian agri-food-TERRAVITA”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carbonaro, M., Nardini, M., Maselli, P. et al. Chemico-physical and nutritional properties of traditional legumes (lentil, Lens culinaris L., and grass pea, Lathyrus sativus L.) from organic agriculture: an explorative study. Org. Agr. 5, 179–187 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-014-0086-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-014-0086-y