Growers must put firms' fingers on pulse

Pulse growers must work harder to educate food manufacturers on how to use pulse fibres, flours, fibres and proteins in recipes if they want to drive usage, says industry association Pulse Canada.

Pulses are non-allergenic, non-genetically modified and 'greener' than soya beans given their ability to lock in nitrogen from the air and the fact that rainforests are not being cut down in order to grow them, said Heather Maskus from Pulse Canada.

They are also low fat, low glycaemic index, gluten free and rich in prebiotic fibres, protein, vitamins and folate. Like soya, they are also proven to lower cholesterol. However, many manufacturers are unaware of their nutritional or environmental credentials and unsure of how to use them in recipe development, she said. "But things are starting to change. There is a lot of work exploring the technical properties of pulses in baked products, extruded snacks, drinks and meat analogues."

Dr Joyce Boye at the Food Research & Development Centre at Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, said: "Adding pea protein to drinks and bars instead of whey eliminates the allergy problem. Pulses also have advantages over soy in that you don't get the same beany off taste."

Some manufacturers were now experimenting with using lentil flour, pea fibre and chickpea flour in salad dressings, pastas and tortillas, while others had partially replaced wheat flour in pasta with lentil or chickpea flour, she said.

"We've also tested pulse fibres and proteins in yoghurts, and they did not inhibit culture growth, so there are lots of opportunities in this market as well. We've barely scratched the surface, really."