CHAPTER 9: Impact of Fermentation on the Nutritional Quality, Bioactive Compounds and Potential Health Properties of Legumes

Fermented foods are one of the indispensable components of the dietary culture of every community and among them fermented legumes have been a part of the human diet for centuries. As a staple food, legumes provide nutrients, vitamins and essentials minerals but also phytochemicals associated with non-nutritive attributes that are of interest for health. The merits of fermented legumes as naturally processed foods that go beyond basic nutrition, preservation and sensory properties are well documented. The microbial growth and the biochemical reactions occurring during fermentation are responsible for the final composition of legume-derived products. The enhancement of their nutritional value, taste and flavour, and the decrease in antinutritional compounds to levels where they can exert positive effects, confer a balanced equilibrium making fermented legume-derived products indispensable for nutrition and health promotion.