Nutritional Profile, Antinutritional Factors, and Digestibility of Proteins in Non-conventional Leaf Protein Sources

Abstract

Leaf protein concentrates (LPCs) have intrigued researchers for a considerable period of time and continue to grab their attention as a non-conventional protein source. This review summarizes the various methods of LPC concentration or precipitation and also notes its nutritional quality, antinutritional factors, and digestibility. The scope of utilization of LPCs is vast, but before diving into commercial utilization, it is of the utmost importance that the safety and efficiency of these protein sources are well-investigated. Hence, an attempt to review these advantages and challenges is made in this work. The key findings of this review include the following: first, there are deficits of sulfur-containing amino acids and minerals in LPCs from certain leaves, which make the source not very balanced. Second, non-conventional protein concentration methods like fermentation are green and efficient means of protein concentration. Lastly, antinutritional factors in LPC can be reduced with the help of various treatments.