ABSTRACT
Lentils are an important food for human consumption, representing the world's third largest group of pulses. They are uniquely rich sources of protein, micronutrients, and dietary fiber with great potential in alleviating protein energy malnutrition in developing countries. Lentils also contain beneficial bioactive components such as bioactive proteins and peptides and equally low glycemic index ingredients. Processing in any form facilitates improved nutrient content and promotes value addition and product development. An important component of lentils are the protein fraction that has been explored and confirmed to have the potential as a functional ingredient due to the nutraceutical and health promoting benefits they confer toward the management of several cardiovascular diseases. Starch is another important fraction of lentils extracted during processing and lentil starch possess superior functional properties that support its potential application as functional ingredient in industrial food applications. Lentils, therefore, may serve as a viable pulse for food security and maintenance of human health.
