Faba Bean: Unlocking nutritional potential and agricultural sustainability

Abstract

Faba bean (<i>Vicia faba</i> L.) has been identified as a versatile specialty crop for North America due to its rich nutritional profile, ability to thrive in diverse climates, and economic potential. Although friendly to most diets, faba bean consumption is challenged by the presence of vicine and convicine—antinutritional compounds that trigger favism in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. This review delves into the genetic, molecular, and biochemical dimensions of vicine and convicine accumulation in faba beans, pinpointing knowledge gaps and unearthing historical and lesser-known insights about these compounds. This comprehensive review synthesizes and discusses recent efforts and challenges in enhancing nutrition of faba beans to promote its production and consumption in North America. We spotlight the strides made in breeding low-vicine and low-convicine varieties and critically assess attempts aimed at mitigating these favism-inducing factors. The development of low-vicine and low-convicine faba bean lines represents a significant advancement in crop breeding, addressing safety concerns for individuals with G6PD deficiency. By utilizing marker-assisted breeding techniques, researchers are effectively reducing vicine and convicine levels, even as the complete biosynthetic pathways of these compounds remain unresolved. Current research efforts are steadily progressing toward cultivars with minimal or no vicine and convicine, enhancing the safety and nutritional profile of faba beans. These breakthroughs hold the potential to transform faba beans into a more sustainable, inclusive, and widely consumed food source, expanding their utility in both human diets and agricultural systems.