Pigeon Pea

Abstract

Pigeon pea is one of the major pulses produced in South Asia and India produces nearly to 90% to the global production. It contains 21–25% protein which is sufficient enough nutrition for the poor when it supplied along with other cereals and legumes. Pigeon pea contains proteins, amino acids, and a good amount of minerals (iron, magnesium, and phosphorus), riboflavin, folacin, and niacin, which is a healthy diet to the consumers. Pigeon pea provides a wide range of products, including dried seeds, pods and immature seeds used as green vegetables, and leaves and stems used as fodder. Pigeon pea should be harvested as bright green pod and processed and stored as dhal. Processing is the only way of preventing storage losses, inhibiting majority of the anti-nutritional factors, and increases the availability throughout the year. Shelling, freezing, canning, milling (dehulling, splitting), and polishing are the major processing methods after harvesting. Milling can be done using several methods including wet, dry, Pantnagar dhal and CFTRI milling techniques. Pigeon peas are mostly used as food items such as curries, fresh sprouts, snacks, ketchups, and extruded products, and studies are going on in new product development. Nowadays, the demand for protein source is a threatening challenge and in future the demand could be higher due to increase in population. Food products prepared using an economic and cheap source such as pigeon pea could be an effective and alternative approach to reduce the demand and malnutrition at the global level.