Twelve different seed coat color genotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris L. were extracted and pure flavonoids isolated from 10 of these. The seed coat methanol extracts, tannin fractions, and pure flavonoids all displayed antioxidant activity in a fluorescence-based liposome assay. The relatively high activity of the condensed tannin (proanthocyanidin) fractions indicates that these may play an important role in the overall activity of the extracts. This activity also indicates that although these polyphenols cause problems in digestibility, they may be important dietary supplements with beneficial health effects. The pure anthocyanins delphinidin 3-O-glucoside (1), petunidin 3-O-glucoside (2), and malvidin 3-O-glucoside (3) and the flavonol quercetin 3-O-glucoside (4) isolated from seed coats also had significantly higher antioxidant activity than the Fe(2+) control. The activity of kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (5) was not different from that of the Fe(2+) control. These findings suggest that variously colored dry beans may be an important source of dietary antioxidants.

a correlation between high phytate diets and limited Zn absorbance in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and Human zinc (Zn) deficiency is a widespread condition prevalent in animals (Saha et al., 1994; House et al., 1982; Turnlund people consuming grain and legume based diets. Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are frequently the major protein source in such diets. et al., 1984;Lonnerdal et al., 1989; Hunt et al., 1998; One way to reduce the incidence of Zn deficiency may be through Zhou et al., 1992). The recommended daily allowance the development of high Zn dry beans. Large variation for dry bean of Zn established for people of the USA is 12 to 15 mg seed Zn concentration exists, which would aid in the development of for adults and 10 mg for children. However, this amount Zn-rich cultivars. The objectives of this study were to determine the of Zn may be too low for people whose diets are vegetarinheritance of seed Zn levels in navy bean and to measure seed ian and phytate rich. Dietary phytate: Zn molar ratios phytic acid (PA) levels in relationship to seed Zn concentration as are a major factor in determining the risk of Zn defian indicator of Zn bioavailability. A high seed Zn cultivar 'Voyager'ciency (Frossard et al., 2000). and a low seed Zn cultivar 'Albion' were used to create the F 2 and One way to alleviate Zn deficiency in humans mainbackcross populations that were field grown in 1999 and 2000. Seed taining legume-rich diets, as seen in countries of Latin Zn was measured in both years and seed phytic acid was measured in 1999. The results of this experiment suggest that a single dominant America, Africa, and to a lesser extent, vegetarians in gene controls the high seed Zn concentration in the Voyager/Albion the USA is to introduce cultivars with increased levels cross. In addition, phytic acid levels between the parent cultivars Navy bean cultivars Albion (Asgrow Seed Company, Kalamazoo, MI, 1987) with low seed Zn and Voyager (Rogers

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