Abstract:
Common bean seeds are an excellent source of protein as well as of
carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds reducing, when
in the diet, the risks of diseases. The presence of bioactive compounds
with antinutritional properties (e.g., phytic acid, lectins, raffinosaccharides,
protease inhibitors) limits, however, the bean’s nutritional value and its wider
use in food preparations. In the last decades, concerted efforts have been,
therefore, made to develop new common bean genotypes with reduced
antinutritional compounds by exploiting the natural genetic variability of
common bean and also applying induced mutagenesis. However, possible
negative, or positive, pleiotropic effects due to these modifications, in
terms of plant performance in response to stresses or in the resulting
technological properties of the developed mutant genotypes, have yet not
been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of the perspective paper is to first
highlight the current advances, which have been already made in mutant bean
characterization. A view will be further provided on future research directions
to specifically explore further advantages and disadvantages of these bean
mutants, their potential use in innovative foods and representing a valuable
genetic reservoir of combinations to assess the true functional role of specific
seed bioactive components directly in the food matrix.
