Legume lipids.

The storage lipids of legume seeds are a major source of dietary fat. As a result of their importance in the food industry, much is known about lipid composition, chemistry, flavor, off-flavor development, and their technological implications in foods of dry, oil-rich seeds such as soybeans and peanuts. Lipids from green pea have also been investigated to some extent. Other food legume lipids have not been studied in any great detail because of their low lipid content and limited or negligible use for oil purposes. Literature on the biochemical, nutritional, and toxicological aspects of lipids from these other legumes is scanty, compared to published reports of seed lipids from soybean and peanuts. Lipids of soybean, peanut, and green pea are reported in this article. Their chemistry, interactions with other constituents, role in flavor development, as well as alterations due to processing and removal of off-flavors are reviewed. The nutritional and toxicological implications of legume lipids from soybean, peanuts, and other food legumes are also discussed.