ABSTRACT
Legume pulses such as the dry or common bean and lentils
represent the most important economic variety of the gen-
era Phaseolus and Lens grown in all parts of the world. Dry
beans and lentils come in a wide variety of market classes
and colors, including kidney bean, navy bean, pinto bean,
black turtle bean, Caraota, Feijao, frijol, red chief lentil,
yellow/tang lentils, brown/Spanish pardina, black/beluga,
and French green lentils, among others. Their seeds are a
rich source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, folate,
other B vitamins, and minerals. However, the presence of
sugars (particularly oligosaccharides of the raffinose
family) that cause flatulence in man and animals and the
long cooking time needed to soften their seeds to an edible
texture reduce their acceptability.
