Exploring the Nutritional Potential of Peas: Fortification, Fermentation, and Bioactive Characterization for Future Food Applications

Peas are an important crop of the Fabaceae, widely used in the food industry due to their availability, cost-effectiveness, nutritional value and health benefits. They are rich in fiber and protein and are a source of bioactive compounds, with antioxidant properties. However, peas contain antinutrients, such as phytates, which may be reduced by fermentation, for instance developing a type I sourdough. The main objective of this investigation was to improve the nutritional profile of an Italian durum wheat-based focaccia, typically rich in fat and carbohydrates and poor in protein and fiber. To achieve this goal, pea flour and freeze-dried pea sourdough were incorporated into the recipe at 40%. The fortification resulted in improved nutritional value, rendering the focaccias “rich in fiber” (> 6 g/100 g of fiber) and “source of protein” (>12% of the energy value provided by protein). The focaccias had a total phenolic content ranging from 4.92 to 8.82 mg GAE/g and an antioxidant activity ranging from 0.24 to 1.01 μmol TE/g. Fermentation played a crucial role, enhancing phenolic availability and reducing phytates (from 0.82 to 0.57 g/100 g d.m.). In parallel, a collection of more than 150 pea accessions, originating from different countries, are being examined for their phenolic content (0.42-1.05 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (1 μmol TE/g, on average, by DPPH assay). The observed variability shows that the identification and selection of lines rich in bioactives is a promising strategy for future food applications.