This research describes the characterization of bioactive compounds, mineral content, and antioxidant capacity in bean varieties grown in semi-arid conditions in Zacatecas, Mexico. This will provide better progress perspectives for agriculture nationwide and will ensure that bean crops are in the condition to satisfy the population’s nutritional needs by placing it not only as one of the foodstuffs comprising Mexico’s basic diet but also as one of the legumes having greater biofortification potential in Mexico. Eleven bean varieties were collected (flor de mayo, bayo, frijola, patola, navy beans, flor de junio, reata beans, Japanese beans, black beans, canary beans, and pinto Saltillo). The evaluation done included the physical and physico-chemical characteristics, as well as the mineral content, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of these bean varieties. Data gathered were subject to a variance and mean separation analysis. The most remarkable individual results were as follows: Canary beans had the highest iron content (105.29 mg/kg), while bayo beans had the highest zinc concentration (48.18 mg/kg) and reata beans had the highest level of protein (26.88%). The varieties showing the most remarkable results with regard to zinc, iron and protein content and antioxidant capacity were as follows: Flor de junio, flor de mayo, reata beans, navy beans and pinto Saltillo; however, the most remarkable variety in comprehensive terms was flor de junio, which showed a reducing power of 0.20%, an antioxidant capacity of 80.62% inhibition, a protein content of 0.17%, in addition to Ca (0.24%), Fe (90.97 mg/kg), Zn (27.23 mg/kg), fiber (3.22%), energy (353.50 kcal), phenols (94.82 mg gallic acid (GA)/g extract) and flavonoids (1.30 mg mg Cat/g−1 dw). Finally, we came to the conclusion that beans grown in Zacatecas, Mexico, offer a huge benefit to consumers as a result of the mineral, protein, fiber, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity contributions such beans provide. Thus, these beans can be used in a biofortification program using micronutrients to improve their nutritional quality.

The aim of the current study is to characterize the bean varieties produced in the State of Oaxaca (Mexico) with the purpose of selecting varieties with the potential of being biofortified with micronutrients. Eleven bean varieties representative of the State of Oaxaca (Mexico) were harvested, the color was characterized and the physicochemical analysis, mineral content, antioxidant capacity, reducing power, and bioactive compounds were determined. Data obtained were subjected to a variance analysis for the difference between the means of the bean varieties studied through the 95% Tukey test. The results obtained show the significant difference was found among the 11 bean varieties harvested in Oaxaca (México). The analysis found five outstanding varieties with a larger quantity of favorable characteristics on the iron, zinc, protein content, antioxidant capacity and reducing power. The outstanding varieties relating Fe and Zn content were Michigan for Fe 67.4 ppm, Sangre de Toro 62.4 ppm, which showed the larger content of antioxidant capacity (82.12%) scavenging activity and Biche for Zn 34.7 ppm. The variety with a larger quantity of protein (26.66%) was Biche bean, followed by the Peruano bean with 24.91% of protein. The variety with larger content of reducing power 0.16% was Blanco Michigan bean. Lastly, it is also remarkable that such outstanding bean varieties are important to include in a biofortification program with micro-nutrients to improve the food safety and the nutrition in vulnerable communities of the urban and rural sector of Oaxaca (Mexico).