Students of UC reinvent the consumption of legumes

Students of UC reinvent the consumption of legumes

Increasing the range of alternatives to animal protein consumption in the market was the objective that led four students of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) in Portugal to develop the innovative "Legutê" - legume in pâté.

The "Legutê" range consists of three varieties of pâtés - beans, peas and lupins - 100% natural, rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and with low fat and zero cholesterol.

The idea emerged in the course "Entrepreneurship: from idea to business" of the master's degree in Biodiversity and Plant Biotechnology of the Department of Life Sciences of FCTUC. Bruno Simões, Jéssica Tavares, Mariana Correia and Tercia Lopes investigated and, "when we verified that the supply of non-animal protein in the market is deficient", we advanced to the development of an innovative product that was based on family legumes of the traditional Mediterranean diet.

After several experiments, the legumes were the beans, the peas and the lupin bean (tremoço). It is a way of "reinventing the consumption of legumes. The Legutê is a practical product and ideal for any occasion, it is distinguished by the response to a scarce supply of non-animal protein, being indicated for vegetarians. In addition, it is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, "stress the students.

With the production of this new range of pulses of legumes, young people also want to contribute to the "reduction of food waste. We want to turn the food industry's surplus into legumes into raw material. "

The next step is to 'extend the concept to other legumes and also to seek investors from the food industry or, perhaps, start-up, with a view to marketing new patties of great nutritional value'.

The project was chosen to compete in the final of the national phase of the international competition Ecotrophelia, promoted by PortugalFoods, which will take place next Friday, May 25.

Cristina Pinto

Coimbra University