Nutritional characteristics of mung bean foods

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address malnourishment in developing countries by a food-based approach in which locally produced and consumed foods are improved by applying food processing techniques that benefit the amount and availability of desirable nutrients. Design/methodology/approach – To facilitate this approach, this paper reports on the composition and in vitro micronutrient accessibility of 14 traditional mung bean foods from India in relation to their preparation methods. Findings – Proximate composition, in vitro mineral accessibility, phytic acid and polyphenol contents varied among the range of products. Products requiring either fermentation or germination, had higher in vitro iron, zinc and calcium accessibility. Average in vitro iron, zinc and calcium accessibility of the mung bean products were 16, 9 and 418¿mg¿kg-1 dry weight. Phytic acid and polyphenols averaged 2.1 and 1.8¿g¿kg-1 dry weight, respectively, and were negatively correlated with in vitro mineral accessibility. Practical implications – Different mung bean products (100¿g) cover 12.0-59.5, 5.2-45.6, 4.2-28.6 and 1.1-7.1 per cent of the recommended dietary allowance for protein, iron, zinc and calcium, respectively, for seven- to nine-year-old Indian children. Originality/value – This study demonstrated the wide range of traditional mung bean foods in India and presents options to tackle malnourishment by a food-based approach.