Black Bean: Composition, Protein Extraction and Functional Properties

Black beans play an essential part in the human diet due to their high protein content and nutritional value. Black beans are high in energy, dietary fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins, and they have well-balanced essential amino acid profiles. The production of black bean protein concentrates or isolates is of growing interest to food industry because of their functional properties and ability to improve the nutritional quality of food products. Various procedures are used to obtain protein concentrates / isolates with varying properties. Because of desired functional features such as gelling and emulsifying properties, black bean proteins have grown in popularity and could be presented as a potential supplement in a wide range of food applications. This review provides an overview of the chemical composition of black bean, current and emerging techniques for producing their protein concentrates / isolates, and major functional properties.