Lipid classes, fatty acid composition and triacylglycerol molecular species of kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Fatty Acids in Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): A Contribution to Their Analysis and the Characterization of a Diversity Panel

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crop of high nutritional interest widespread throughout the world. This research had two objectives. On the one hand, the development and validation of an analytical method to quantify fatty acids in dry beans based on the extraction and derivatization in a single step and later quantification by gas chromatography. On the other, its application to characterize the fatty acid content in a diversity panel consisting of 172 lines. The method was successfully validated in terms of accuracy, precision and robustness. Among the 14 fatty acids that constitute the fatty acid profile of dry bean, the most quantitatively important were linolenic acid, the major fatty acid in all cases, with an average value of 6.7 mg/g, followed by linoleic acid (3.9 mg/g), palmitic acid (2.9 mg/g) and oleic acid (1.5 mg/g). The concentrations of fatty acids in dry bean were influenced by the gene pool, with the Mesoamerican gene pool showing a higher content of palmitic, stearic, linoleic and linolenic acids and the Andean gene pool a higher level of cis-vaccenic acid. Also, the expression of fatty acid content showed high heritability. The information generated constitutes a robust database of interest in food technology, nutrition and breeding programs.

Εleven Greek Legume Beans: Assessment of Genotypic Effect on Their Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Properties

Legumes, one of the first crops of humanity, inherently constitute a staple nutritional source for mankind, attracting significant research attention that has been afforded to the development of numerous cultivars. The study herein concerns the exploitation of the nutritional and bio-functional content of beans harvested from eleven Greek cultivars belonging to five different species, namely Cicer arietinum L., Pisum sativum L., Vicia faba L., Lens culinaris L., and Phaseolus vulgaris L. The final goal is to define their varietal identity and correlate their phytochemical content with their potential utilization as functional foods and/or feed of high nutritional value. In this respect, their extracts were screened against the presence of 27 fatty acids and 19 phenolic compounds, revealing the presence of 22 and 15 molecules, respectively. Specifically, numerous fatty acids were detected in significant amounts in all but C. arietinum extract, while significant polyphenolic content was confirmed only in P. vulgaris. Among individual compounds, linoleic acid was the major fatty acid detected in amounts averaging more than 150 mg/g, followed by oleic acid, which was present as a major compound in all extracts. Among the nine polyphenols detected in P. vulgaris, the molecules of genistein (3.88 mg/g) and coumestrol (0.82 mg/g) were the most abundant. Their antioxidant properties were evaluated through DPPH and FRAP assays, which were highlighted as most potent in both tests of the V. faba extract, while C. arietinum was determined as totally inactive, indicating a potential correlation between the phenolic content of the plant species and antioxidant activity. These results are indicative of the significant advances achieved for the cultivars investigated and reveal their important role as nutritional crops for human and animal consumption.

NMR Metabolomics and Chemometrics of Commercial Varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds from Italy and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity

The metabolite fingerprinting of four Italian commercial bean seed cultivars, i.e., Phaseolus Cannellino (PCANN), Controne (PCON), Vellutina (PVEL), and Occhio Nero (PON), were investigated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis. The hydroalcoholic and organic extract analysis disclosed more than 32 metabolites from various classes, i.e., carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, nucleosides, alkaloids, and fatty acids. PVEL, PCON, and PCANN varieties displayed similar chemical profiles, albeit with somewhat different quantitative results. The PON metabolite composition was slightly different from the others; it lacked GABA and pipecolic acid, featured a higher percentage of malic acid than the other samples, and showed quantitative variations of several metabolites. The lipophilic extracts from all four cultivars demonstrated the presence of omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids. After the determination of the total phenolic, flavonoids, and condensed tannins content, in vitro antioxidant activity was then assessed using the DPPH scavenging activity, the ABTS scavenging assay, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Compared to non-dark seeds (PCON, PCANN), brown seeds (PVEL, PON) featured a higher antioxidant capacity. Lastly, only PON extract showed in vitro antifungal activity against the sclerotia growth of S. rolfsii, by inhibiting halo growth by 75%.

Nutritional composition, health benefits and bio-active compounds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an annual plant of the family Fabaceae is mainly grown in semiarid and temperate regions. Among pulses, cultivated worldwide chickpeas are considered an inexpensive and rich source of protein. Chickpea is a good source of protein and carbohydrate, fiber, and important source of essential minerals and vitamins. The quality of protein is better among other pulses. Consumption of chickpeas is related to beneficial health outcomes. Dietary peptides from the protein of chickpeas gaining more attention. Peptides can be obtained through acid, alkali, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Among all these, enzymatic hydrolysis is considered safe. Various enzymes are used for the production of peptides, i.e., flavorzyme, chymotrypsin, pepsin, alcalase, papain, and trypsin either alone or in combinations. Chickpea hydrolysate and peptides have various bioactivity including angiotensin 1-converting enzyme inhibition, digestive diseases, hypocholesterolemic, CVD, antioxidant activity, type 2 diabetes, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic activity. This review summarizes the nutritional composition and bioactivity of hydrolysate and peptides obtained from chickpea protein. The literature shows that chickpea peptides and hydrolysate have various functional activities. But due to the limited research and technology, the sequences of peptides are unknown, due to which it is difficult to conduct the mechanism studies that how these peptides interact. Therefore, emphasis must be given to the optimization of the production of chickpea bioactive peptides, in vivo studies of chickpea bioactivity, and conducting human study trials to check the bioactivity of these peptides and hydrolysate.

Microclimate and Genotype Impact on Nutritional and Antinutritional Quality of Locally Adapted Landraces of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

This study aimed to assess the impact of genotype, location, and type of cultivation (organic) on the nutrient and anti-nutrient components of seven large-seeded bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) populations. All genotypes were cultivated during 2014 and 2015 in randomized complete block (RCB) experimental designs in three areas of the Prespa region (Pili, Patoulidio, Agios Germanos) in Greece. Particularly, total protein (18.79–23.93%), fiber (7.77–12%), starch (40.14–55.26%), and fat (1.84–2.58%) contents were analyzed and showed significant differences. In order to assess mineral content, firstly, the total ash percentage (4.31% to 5.20%) and secondly, trace elements and heavy metals were determined. The concentrations of identified inorganic metals showed large variations. The total phenolic content of the samples varied from 0.18 to 0.29 mg/g gallic acid equivalent (GAE). A major limitation of increasing the use of grain legumes as feed is the presence of diverse compounds in their grain, commonly referred to as antinutritional factors, and these are mainly trypsin inhibitors. Trypsin inhibitor levels were evaluated, with results varying from 21.8 to 138.5 TIU/g. Pili 2014 and 2015 were differently associated regarding the year of cultivation. Pili 2015 location was also very closely associated with the Patoulidio region, whereas Agios Germanos and Pili 2014 were the most different in terms of nutritional and antinutritional content.

The influence of chemical composition diversity in the cooking quality of Andean bean genotypes

Andean beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) chemical compositions and cooking characteristics contribute to a healthy diet. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of chemical composition on the cooking quality of 14 Andean beans genotypes with different seed coat colors. More specifically, water retention (WR), cooking time (CT), and solids released in the broth, were analysed. WR values ranged from 128.4% to 160.7% and CT ranged from 13.7 (BRS Embaixador) to 21.7 min (KID44). Andean beans showed variability in chemical composition, mainly starch content (39.43 g 100 g^-1, BRS Realce to 51.92 g 100 g^-1, LP15-04) and polymer composition. The profile of starch and interactions among minerals and chemical compounds influenced the cooking profiles than do the individual compounds. Andean beans traits of cooking, mainly CT, were influenced by their chemical composition; however they can be incorporated into diets without drastic changes in preparation methods.

Antidiabetic components from the hexane extract of red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): isolation and structure determination

Red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) contain bioactive compounds that are known to exhibit antidiabetic effects via inhibition of α-glucosidase. However, information on the nonpolar components that exhibit antidiabetic activity is limited. Here, we report the isolation and structure determination of components with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, which were obtained from the hexane extract of red kidney beans. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) were identified as the major components exhibiting inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. The chemical structure of TAGs was determined by a combination of GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS. The primary TAGs identified were LnLnLn (trilinolenin) and LnLLn (1,3-dilinolenoyl-2-linoleoyl glycerol). The major fatty acids present in these TAGs were α-linolenic acid (ω-3) and linoleic acid (ω-6). These TAGs were also found to inhibit the α-glucosidase activity in a similar fashion as acarbose. These results suggest that TAGs have potency as antidiabetics and support the potential suitability of red kidney beans for diabetes treatment.

Fatty acid profile of Romanian's common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lipid fractions and their complexation ability by β-cyclodextrin

The goal of the present study was the evaluation of the fatty acid (FA) profile of lipid fraction from dry common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (CBO) harvested from North-East (NE) and South-West (SW) of Romania and to protect against thermal and oxidative degradation of the contained omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) glycerides by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) nanoencapsulation, using kneading method. The most abundant FAs in the CBO samples were PUFAs, according to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Linoleic acid (methyl ester) was the main constituent, having relative concentrations of 43.4 (±1.95) % and 35.23 (±0.68) % for the lipid fractions separated from the common beans harvested from the NE and SW of Romania, respectively. Higher relative concentrations were obtained for the omega-3 α-linolenic acid methyl ester at values of 13.13 (±0.59) % and 15.72 (±0.30) % for NE and SW Romanian samples, respectively. The omega-3/omega-6 ratio consistently exceeds the lower limit value of 0.2, from where the PUFA glyceride mixture is valuable for the human health. This value was 0.32 (±0.02) for the NE samples and significantly higher for the CBO-SW samples, 0.51 (±0.01). These highly hydrophobic mixtures especially consisting of PUFA triglycerides provide β-CD complexes having higher thermal and oxidative stability. Kneading method allowed obtaining β-CD/CBO powder-like complexes with higher recovery yields of >70%. Thermal analyses of complexes revealed a lower content of hydration water (3.3–5.8% up to 110°C in thermogravimetry (TG) analysis and 154–347 J/g endothermal effect in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis) in comparison with the β-CD hydrate (12.1% and 479.5–480 J/g, respectively). These findings support the molecular inclusion process of FA moieties into the β-CD cavity. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis reveals the formation of the β-CD/CBO inclusion complexes by restricting the vibration and bending of some bonds from the host and guest molecules. Moreover, powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) analysis confirm the formation of the host-guest complexes by modifying the diffractograms for β-CD/CBO complexes in comparison with the β-CD and β-CD + CBO physical mixtures. A significant reduction of the level of crystallinity from 93.3 (±5.3) % for β-CD to 60–60.9% for the corresponding β-CD/CBO complexes have been determined. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), the profile of FAs, as well as the controlled release of the encapsulated oil have also been evaluated. The EE was >40% in all cases, the highest value being obtained for β-CD/CBO-SW complex. The SFA content increased, while the unsaturated FA glycerides had lower relative concentrations in the encapsulated CBO samples. It can be emphasized that the main omega-3 FA (namely α-linolenic acid glycerides) had close concentrations in the encapsulated and raw CBOs (13.13 (±0.59) % and 14.04 (±1.54) % for non-encapsulated and encapsulated CBO-NE samples, 15.72 (±0.30) % and 12.41 (±1.95) % for the corresponding CBO-SW samples, respectively). The overall unsaturated FA content significantly decreased after complexation (from 19.03–19.16% for the raw CBOs to 17.3–17.7% for encapsulated oils in the case of MUFAs, and from 55.7–58.8% to 35.13–43.36% for PUFAs). On the other hand, the omega-3/omega-6 ratio increased by β-CD nanoencapsulation to 0.51 (±0.07) and 0.76 (0.26) for β-CD/CBO-NE and β-CD/CBO-SW complexes, respectively. As a conclusion, the lipid fractions of the Romanian common beans are good candidates for β-CD complexation and they can be protected against thermal and oxidative degradation in common beans based food products such as functional foods or food supplements using natural CDs.

The Nutritional Content of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Landraces in Comparison to Modern Varieties

In terms of safe food and a healthy food supply, beans (Phaseolus spp.) are a significant source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals especially for poor populations throughout the world. They are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and oleic acids. From the past to the present, a large number of breeding studies to increase bean yield, especially the common bean (P. vulgaris L.), have resulted in the registration of many modern varieties, although quality and flavor traits in the modern varieties have been mostly ignored. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to compare protein, fat, fatty acid, and some mineral content such as selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) of landraces to modern varieties. The landrace LR05 had higher mineral contents, particularly Se and Zn, and protein than the modern varieties. The landrace LR11 had the highest linoleic acid. The landraces are grown by farmers in small holdings for dual uses, such as both dry seed and snap bean production, and are commercialized with a higher cash price. The landraces of the common bean are, not only treasures that need to be guarded for the future, but also important genetic resources that can be used in bean breeding programs. The results of this study suggest that landraces are essential sources of important nutritional components for food security and a healthy food supply.