Abstract:
Legumes are high-protein, medium-energy and micronutrient-rich food consumed in many parts of the world including Africa. This study evaluated the levels of specific phenolic compounds in three legumes. Two varieties of the common bean, (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) soybeans (Glycine max L.), and peas (Pisum sativum L.) from Rwanda were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The phenolic compounds were identified by comparison to the chromatographic retention times and UV spectra of known reference compounds. This study results clearly shows the presence of 11 different phenolic compounds in common beans: gallic acid, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin, caffeic acid, o-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, 4-hydrobenzoic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid and vanillic acid. The concentration ranged from 0.59 to 2.27 mg/kg for epicatechin. High levels of catechin (13.5 to 57.9 mg/kg) ferulic acid (26.1 to 47.6 mg/kg) were also observed. Therefore, the results of this study show that Rwandan common beans are a good source of phenolic acids in particular catechins and ferulic acid.
