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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Research Project #449579

Research Project: Shelf-Life and Product Development with Pulse Flour Blends

Location: Sugarbeet and Bean Research

Project Number: 5050-21430-012-026-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 3, 2026
End Date: Aug 2, 2027

Objective:
1) 1) Evaluation of the influence of processing on lipid oxidation and the volatile profile of pulse flours and flour blends studied over time to define product changes and shelf life. 2) Evaluation of the antioxidant potential of bean hulls separately and in pulse flour blends. 3) Development of products using different pulse flour blends including evaluation of dough properties, final product quality, and consumer acceptability

Approach:
Pulse cultivars will be dehulled via seed tempering, drying, and aspirating. Cotyledons and hulls will be separately milled into flour using a hammer mill. Flours fractions will be evaluated for lipid oxidation via a colorimetric assay, volatile profiles using an electronic nose, and antioxidant potential via the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. Flour shelf-life will be evaluated over time at various storage conditions via water activity and lipid oxidation measurements. Cotyledon flours, hull flours, and other ingredients, including wheat, will be blended and tested for improvements in shelf-life. Blended flours will be made into food products (i.e. crackers) and evaluated for texture and flavor improvements as compared to whole single pulse flours.