Micromeritic, thermal, dielectric, and microstructural properties of legume ingredients: A review

Abstract

Abstract The legume‐based food market has grown consistently in recent years because of the high global demands for plant‐based proteins. Since isolation of proteins produces the same volume of starch and large quantities of fiber‐rich fractions, these ingredients require property measurements for their industrial applications. Size‐reduction operations separate the ingredients from the legume grains by creating a large surface area with a definite size. Knowledge of micromeritic properties of legume‐based flour ingredients is indispensable in the design of process equipment and logistic operations. This review covers the particle‐size distributions of legume flours with a desired particle size that fits the food industry and fulfills the nutritional requirements of consumers. It focuses on the strict particle‐size requirement in the legume industry to obtain consistent ingredients for diverse food applications. Furthermore, engineering properties of legume ingredients, including micromeritic, dielectric, structural (e.g., Fourier transform infrared [FTIR], X‐ray diffraction [XRD], and scanning electron microscopy [SEM]), and thermal (e.g., thermal conductivity, diffusivity, heat capacity, glass transition, and melting temperature) properties and their interrelationships, have been discussed.

Keywords

• FTIR
• particle size
• protein denaturation temperature
• SEM
• thermal properties
• X‐ray diffraction