ABSTRACT
Different types of soya bean, Mediterranean legumes, and commercial soya bean are classified by principal component analyzes (PCAs) of proximate, amino acids (AAs) and isoflavones contents, and legumes cluster analyses (CAs), which agree. Samples group into two classes. Compositional PCA and legumes CA allow classification and concur. The first axis explains 65%, the first two, 82%, the first three, 93% of the variance, etc. Legumes according to proximates, etc. are different depending on energy and AAs (Lys, Met, Trp). Spanish and Asian legumes result in separate classes. Macronutrients appear unconnected. Soya bean is compared to virgin olive oil in terms of iso/flavones and y/a-tocopherol. It presents adequate proximate, AAs and isoflavones contents, good antioxidant capacity and may be used as a functional food. It represents a legume useful as a natural source for nutraceutical formulations.
