US EPA

9418505 

Journal Article 

Chemical composition of marama bean (Tylosema esculentum)-A wild African bean with unexploited potential 

Hulse, M; Husted, S; Hansen, Ase 

2010 

Yes 

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
ISSN: 0889-1575
EISSN: 1096-0481 

23 

6 

648-657 

10.1016/j.jfca.2010.03.006 

WOS:000284394800024 

Marama bean is an underutilized legume which grows wild in Southern Africa and forms part of the diet for the indigenous population. The seeds are rich in lipid and protein, and have the potential to improve nutrition and increase food security for people living in these rural areas. Sixteen samples of marama beans from Botswana, Namibia and South Africa harvested in 1990-2008 were examined for chemical composition. The nutrient content on dry matter basis was: protein 29-38%, lipids 32-42%, dietary fiber 19-27% and ash 2.5-3.7%. In general, beans from South Africa had higher content of protein and ash compared to beans from Botswana and Namibia. The vitamin E isomers alpha-, beta- and gamma-tocopherols were found at levels of 14-48, 1.1-3.3 and 59-234 mu g/g, respectively. In general, beans from Namibia contained the highest amount of vitamin E. The marama bean had a mineral content similar to that of peanut and approaching that of soybean, and is a good source of the important trace-elements Zn and Fe. The three lignans secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol were present in the marama bean. Additionally, the marama bean did not seem to contain any of the potent allergens found in lupine and peanut, and it was not cyanogenic. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 

Marama; Morama; Grain legume; Lipid; Protein; Dietary fiber; Vitamin E; Tocopherols; Minerals; Phytoestrogens; Lignans; Isoflavones; Allergens; Cyanogenic glycosides; Horticulture and biodiversity; Wild food; Indigenous food; Traditional food; Food analysis; Food composition