Fermentation as Strategy for Improving Nutritional, Functional, Technological, and Sensory Properties of Legumes

Compared with cereals and other plant-derived food matrices, legumes can be considered as valuable sources of proteins with high biological value, dietary fibers, minerals, oligosaccharides, and phenolic compounds. Nevertheless, the presence of different antinutritional factors (ANFs) limited the large-scale use of such ingredients by the food industry. The potential of several biotechnological processes and enzymatic treatments in decreasing ANF in legumes and legume-derived ingredients was investigated. Among these options, fermentation is traditionally recognized as suitable tool to improve the overall quality of legumes in different areas of the world. The scientific community demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of selected lactic acid bacteria and biotechnologies inspired to sourdough fermentation in ANF degradation, improving technological and sensory profile of legume grains and flours as well as contributing to their safety in terms of spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms and toxic compounds. Apart from their consumption as they are, legumes are the main ingredient of many traditional food products, and fermentation allows them to be used as ingredients in innovative formulations of staple foods, such as baked goods and pasta with high nutritional and functional profile.