Ireland: Scientists bring native protein crops out of the feedlot

Fava beans with field peas and lupine should be sent to the human nutrition market, according to Irish researchers who are leading a consortium to change the rules of the game in the plant protein market. Richard Hallaron writes about this in an article published on the portal Agriland.ie: “Ireland recently hosted a “Crop Forum”, during which the prospects for added value for crops alternative to soya were discussed. Research into plant proteins currently underway at the Irish Food and Agriculture Development Authority (Teagasc) has shown that peas and faba beans have significant potential in this regard. Teagasc's research is currently focused on extracting specific components from these crops for use in the food ingredients sector, as well as optimizing their cultivation locally. Traditionally, the production of protein crops such as field peas and faba beans in Ireland has been focused on animal feed for an obvious reason: the Irish feed sector is heavily dependent on imported ...