The diversity of end-uses for legumes

Legumes have been reinvented in a multitude of innovative products (drinks, cereal bars, bread, meat replacers, snacks, flours, and several others) often combining ancient traditions of legume consumption 'with a spin', incorporating new legume technological knowledge in food (and feed) product innovation. Results suggest that consuming even only 80-100 g per day may be enough to maintain overall health, improve gut microbiota, and even help prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and/or cancer. However, the transition to legume consumption and utilisation has been slow and hampered by many cultural, societal, political, and economic impediments. Here we summarise the results from a selected number of initiatives presented at the Legume Innovation Network webinar entitled, "The diversity of end-uses for legumes". These aimed to enable the comeback of legumes and their placement in a diversity of end uses, becoming more prominent in human diets and animal feeds. The diversity of topics ranged from innovation for consumers and citizens, exploring the European food and feed system, to demonstrating developments in academic and industrial R&D, with a focus on health and nutrition.