Dry Beans and Pulses Production, Processing and Nutrition

The common beans and pulses are diverse food resources of highnutritional value (protein, energy, fiber and vitamins andminerals) with broad social acceptance. These legume cropsdemonstrate global adaptability, genotypic and phenotypicdiversity, and multiple means of preparation and dietary use. Beans and pulses are produced in regions as diverse as LatinAmerica, Africa, Asia, and North America, and on a scale similar tosome other crops, such as wheat, corn, rice and soybeans. Numerous factors influence utilization, including bean type andcultivar selection, cropping environment and systems, storageconditions and handling infrastructure, processing and finalproduct preparation. Nutrient content and bio-availabilityare dramatically influenced by these conditions. In recentyears, beans and pulses have been cited for imparting specificpositive health potentiating responses, such as hypocholesteremicresponse, mitigation of diabetes and colonic cancer, and weightcontrol. Enhanced dry bean utilization focused on improved dietaryhealth is an opportunity within both subsistent and developedpopulations. This book provides a contemporary source of information thatbrings together current knowledge and practices in the value chainof beans/pulses production, processing, and nutrition. Itprovides in-depth coverage of a wide variety of pertinent topicsincluding: breeding, postharvest technologies, composition,processing technologies, food safety, quality, nutrition, andsignificance in human health. An experienced team of over 25contributors from North America, Asia, and Africa has written 15chapters, divided into three sections: Overview, production and postharvest technologies of beans andpulses Composition, value-added processing and quality Culinology, nutrition, and significance in human health Contributors come from a field of diverse disciplines, includingcrop sciences, food science and technology, food biochemistry, foodengineering, nutritional sciences, and culinology. Dry Beans andPulses Production, Processing and Nutrition is an essentialresource for scientists, processors and nutritionists, whatever thework setting.