THE PLANT PROTEIN RENAISSANCE : THE KEY ROLE OF LEGUMES

In recent years, the global food landscape has undergone a profound transformation.

Growing attention towards environmental sustainability and personal health has led to a rediscovery of plant proteins, shifting legumes from being a food of the past to a pillar of the food future.

This trend has been driven by consumers and industry.

This is no longer just a choice for vegetarians or vegans. Modern consumers, increasingly oriented towards a “flexitarian diet”, seek protein alternatives that guarantee a low environmental impact and high nutritional values.

In this context, dry beans, chickpeas, broad beans, peas, lentils, etc. in their various forms, have become absolute protagonists in new food formulations, ranging from legume-based pasta and protein snacks to meat alternatives.

The seed industry plays a fundamental role in this transition. The challenge is not only to increase yield per hectare, introducing diseases resistances but also to improve the organoleptic  protein content) and technological characteristics (digestibility) of the product.

At SAIS, thanks to our historical experience in the selection of typical Mediterranean vegetable seeds, we are committed to providing an evolving range of varieties that meet the needs of both the fresh market and the processing industry.

Our main priorities include: high production yields, resistance to major pathogens, uniformity of size and cooking texture.

We also work on high-protein pulses suitable for industrial-scale vegetable protein extraction .