The Chemical Quality of Some Legumes, Peas, Fava Beans, Blue and White Lupins and Soybeans Cultivated in Finland

The cultivation and management of different legume species and their varieties were tested in South-Western Finland at farmers＇ fields in two years, 2010 and 2011. The studied legumes were peas and lava beans, and included also such species which are seldom or not normally cultivated in Finland, namely soybeans and blue and white lupins. Seed samples were collected from legume farms. The quality of different legume species was analysed and compared to each others. The chemical qualities were analysed for crude protein, fat, fibre, ash, nitrogen-free extract and phytic acid contents, and amino acid composition. The quality of the varieties of lupins and soybeans were compared to the quality of pea and fava bean varieties, which are generally cultivated nowadays in Finland. The highest protein contents were in soybean （369 and 379 g kg^-1） and white lupin （382 g kg^-1） and the lowest in pea varieties. Amino acid composition of legumes is good, but lupins have lower lysine content （g 100 g^-1 protein） than other legumes. High fat contents were in soybeans （91 and 100 g kg^-1） and white lupin （101 g kgl）, and moderate in blue lupin （30-49 g kg^-1）. Fuego fava bean variety had lower protein content than Kontu. The highest phytic acid contents were in soybeans （18.9 and 22.6 mg kg^-1） and the lowest in white lupin （6.2 mg kg^-1）. Lupins are interesting protein crops, especially white lupin with high protein and fat and low phytic acid contents. Lupins are not day length sensitive, like soybean, and therefore valuable for long-day cultivation conditions The present research strengthens the good chemical quality of legumes for food and feed purposes.