404: Toward Sustainable Food Systems: Evaluating Nutritional and Anti-Nutritional Traits in Faba Beans

Introduction

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a protein-rich, stress-tolerant legume gaining recognition in North America as a sustainable plant-based protein source. Its cultivation supports eco-friendly diets and reduces the environmental impact of food production. However, anti-nutritional factors like vicine and convicine limit the use of certain varieties. This study evaluated the nutritional and anti-nutritional components of 22 genotypes to support breeding efforts for sustainable cultivation in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. region.

Methods

This study evaluated 15 faba bean genotypes from a USDA-ARS mini-core collection of 492 accessions, 5 commercially purchased cultivars (“Felix,” “Vroma,” “Microgreen,” and “Sprouting”), and 2 cultivars (“Snowdrop” and “CDC 219-16”) developed by the Crop Development Center, Canada. Vicine and Convicine were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD), and nitrogen content, measured via the Dumas method, was converted to protein using a 6.25 factor. Seed dimensions (length, breadth, width) were measured with a Vernier caliper. All analyses were performed on a dry weight basis in triplicates. Heatmap analysis explored correlations among traits, while PCA and cluster analysis identified key factors driving genotype segregation. Statistical analyses were conducted in RStudio (2024.12.0+467).

Results

Protein content ranged from 19% to 33%, while vicine and convicine concentrations were measured between 4.29 –15.73 mg/g and 1.76–11.00 mg/g, respectively. ANOVA revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) among genotypes in protein content, vicine and convicine concentrations, and seed dimensions. Vicine concentrations negatively correlated with seed dimensions—length (r = - 0.6117), breadth (r = -0.6044), and width (r = -0.6852) and positively with protein content (r = 0.3069). Convicine showed similar trends, with weaker correlations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis identified seed dimensions, vicine, convicine, and protein content as key contributors to genotype differentiation.

Significance

This study identified genotypes PI 469151 and PI 469123 as optimal, combining high protein content with acceptable vicine and convicine levels, similarly with cultivar Vroma. Secondary option includes PI 655348, with high protein content but elevated vicine and convicine content, which is comparable with cultivars Felix and Microgreen. These findings support breeding strategies, emphasizing faba beans as nutrient-dense, eco-friendly protein sources for sustainable food systems and global food security.

Authors: Madhvi Singh, Renata Carneiro*, Maria Balota, Haibo Huang, Sean O’Keefe*