Leg4Future

Legumes are an economically highly important source of plant proteins. Whereas intense research has already been carried out on the recovery of proteins from soybeans, lupins, peas and broad beans, the regionally important lentils and mung beans, which are becoming increasingly relevant worldwide, have so far been studied insufficiently. As part of the Leg4Future project, the collaboration partner (working group of Prof. Dr. Ute Weisz at TU Munich) is therefore developing processes for the production of protein concentrates of high technological functionality.

At the Chair of Molecular Food Technology, the side streams emerging from the extraction of the proteins, in particular the seed coats, are used to obtain phenolic compounds. Both the free polyphenols and those bound to the cell wall matrix will be taken into account and examined for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Based on the analytical data obtained, concepts will be developed also for the utilization of the residues of the seed coat fraction. The valorization of food processing residues aims to develop novel functional compounds from natural sources. This research approach thus contributes to a more efficient use of natural resources and more sustainable food production.