Abstract
The nutritional characteristics and food potentials of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) have been reviewed. The bean is a good sources of protein, 23% to 34%, and carbohydrate 55%. It is also a good source of Ca, Zn, P, Mg, Cu and Ni. Jack bean protein is adequate in most essential amino acids with the exception of methionine and cystine which may be nutritionally limiting. Antinutritional and toxic factors including trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins, cyanogen glucosides, oligosaccharides and others are present in jack bean. Properly processed jack bean could be used to prepare some of the popular dishes made from cowpea, peanut, pigeon pea and soybean. Industrial products such as protein concentrates and isolates, starch, flakes, grits and flours can be produced from the bean. Further research is needed to identify varieties with high protein and nutritional quality. Development of new highly nutritious food products based on whole or processed jack bean should increase production and expand use.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bressani R, Elias LG (1974) Legume foods. In: Altschul AM (ed), New protein foods, Vol 1A, pp 230–297. New York/London: Academic Press.
Stanton WR (1966) Grain legumes in Africa, pp 93–95. Rome, Italy: FAO.
Bressani R, Brenes RG, Garcia A, Elias LG (1987) Chemical composition, amino acid content and protein quality ofCanavalia spp seeds. J Sci Food Agric 40: 17–23.
Purseglove JW (1977) Tropical crops dicotyledons, Vols 1 and 2. London: The English Language Book Society and Longman.
Smartt J (1976) Tropical pulses, pp 56–58. London: Longman.
Molina MR, Bressani R (1973) Protein-starch extraction and nutritive value of the jack bean and jack bean protein isolate. In: Jaffe WG (ed), Proceedings of a meeting held in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, 1973 on Nutritional aspects of common beans and other legume seeds as animal and human foods, pp 153–163.
Akpapunam MA, Markakis P (1981) Physicochemical and nutritional aspects of cowpea flour. J Food Sci 46: 972–973.
Bressani R, Sosa JL (1990) Effect of processing on the nutritive value of canavalia jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis (L)). Plant Foods Hum Nutr 40: 207–214.
Patel KM (1974) Isolation and use of horse bean protein in bread. Dissertation—Abstracts—International,-B; 35(1) 308–309.
Obizoba IC, Obiano N (1988) The nutritive value of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis). Ecol Food Nutr 21: 265–270.
Rodrigues BF, Torne SG (1991) A chemical study of seeds in threeCanavalia species. Tropical Sci 31: 101–103.
Akapapunam MA, Markakis P (1979) Oligosaccharides of 13 American cultivars of cowpeas (Vigna sinensis). J Food Sci 44: 1317–1318.
Akpapunam MA, Markakis P (1981) Protein supplementation of cowpeas with sesame and watermelon seeds. J Food Sci 46: 960–961.
FAO/WHO (1973) Energy and protein requirements. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, Technical Report Series No 522.
Kon S, Wagner JR, Booth AN (1974) Legume powders: Preparation and some nutritional and physicochemical properties. J Food Sci 39: 897–899.
Marquardt RR, Campbell LD (1975) Performance of chicks fed faba bean (Vicia faba) diets supplemented with methionine sulphate and cystine. Can J Animal Sci 55: 213–218.
Onayemi O, Potter NN (1976) Cowpea powders dried with methionine: preparation, storage stability, organoleptic properties, nutritional quality. J Food Sci 41: 48–53.
Rajaram N, Jahardhanan K (1992) Nutritional and chemical evaluation ofCanavalia gaadiata (Jacq.) DC andCanavalia ensiformis DC: The under-utilized food and fodder crops in India. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 42: 329–331.
Ekpenyong TE, Borchers RL (1981) Some toxic factors in winged bean seeds, I: Antitrypsin, hemagglutinating and urease activities. Nutr Rep Int 23: 865–870.
Radha A, Narasinga-Rao BS (1989) Lectins, trypsin inhibitors, BOAA and tannins in legumes and cereals and the effects of processing. Food Chem 34: 229–238.
Egbe IA, Akinyele IO (1990) Effect of cooking on the antinutritional factors of lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus). Food Chem 35: 81–87.
Babar VS, Chavan JK, Kadam SS (1988) Effect of heat treatments and germination on trypsin inhibitor activity and polyphenols in jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis L. DC). Plant Food Hum Nutr 38: 314–324.
Aykroyd WR, Doughty J (1964) Legumes in human nutrition. Rome: FAO, Nutritional studies, No. 19.
Dovlo FE, Williams CE, Zoaka L (1976) Cowpeas: Home preparation and use in West Africa. Ottawa, Canada: International Development Research Centre.
Molina MR, Argueta CE, Bressani R (1974) Extraction of nitrogenous constituents from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis). J Agri Food Chem 22: 309–312.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Akpapunam, M.A., Sefa-Dedeh, S. Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis): Nutrition related aspects and needed nutrition research. Plant Food Hum Nutr 50, 93–99 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436029
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436029