Book description
The common beans and pulses are diverse food resources of high
nutritional value (protein, energy, fiber and vitamins and minerals)
with broad social acceptance. These legume crops demonstrate global
adaptability, genotypic and phenotypic diversity, and multiple means
of preparation and dietary use. Beans and pulses are produced in
regions as diverse as Latin America, Africa, Asia, and North America,
and on a scale similar to some other crops, such as wheat, corn, rice
and soybeans.
Numerous factors influence utilization, including bean type and
cultivar selection, cropping environment and systems, storage
conditions and handling infrastructure, processing and final product
preparation. Nutrient content and bio-availability are dramatically
influenced by these conditions. In recent years, beans and pulses
have been cited for imparting specific positive health potentiating
responses, such as hypocholesteremic response, mitigation of diabetes
and colonic cancer, and weight control. Enhanced dry bean utilization
focused on improved dietary health is an opportunity within both
subsistent and developed populations.
This book provides a contemporary source of information that brings
together current knowledge and practices in the value chain of
beans/pulses production, processing, and nutrition. It provides
in-depth coverage of a wide variety of pertinent topics including:
breeding, postharvest technologies, composition, processing
technologies, food safety, quality, nutrition, and significance in
human health. An experienced team of over 25 contributors from North
America, Asia, and Africa has written 15 chapters, divided into three sections:
- Overview, production and postharvest technologies of beans and pulses
- Composition, value-added processing and quality
- Culinology, nutrition, and significance in human health
Contributors come from a field of diverse disciplines, including crop
sciences, food science and technology, food biochemistry, food
engineering, nutritional sciences, and culinology.
Dry Beans and Pulses Production, Processing and Nutrition is an
essential resource for scientists, processors and nutritionists,
whatever the work setting.
Muhammad Siddiq, Associate Professor and Mark A.
Uebersax, Professor Emeritus, both of the Department of Food
Science & Human Nutrition, at Michigan State University, East
Lansing, Michigan, USA
