Calcium-Rich Pigeonpea Seed Coat: A Potential Byproduct for Food and Pharmaceutical Industries

Pigeonpea is a protein-rich legume which consumed worldwide in variety of forms (whole seed, dhal, and as green vegetable). In India, pigeonpea milled to yield dhal (cotyledon) this process generates 25–35% waste byproducts. The hull (seed coat) accounts for 10% the byproduct disposed either or low-cost cattle feed. To recycle byproducts into food value chain, study was conducted with objectives: (i) estimate nutrient accumulation major seed fractions (cotyledon coat), (ii) percentage contribution by fractions, (iii) assess loss due dehulling, (iv) determine scope coat nutritional addition. For this, subset 60 diverse accessions selected from 600 raised during 2019 2020 rainy seasons at ICRISAT, Patancheru, subjected cotyledon analysis. three-way analysis variance revealed significant influence cropping years, genotypes, their interactions on accumulation. nutrients, namely protein (32.28 ± 2.29%), P (476.51 39.05 mg/100 g), K (1557.73 66.82 Fe (4.42 0.41 Zn (2.25 0.21 Cu (0.95 0.07 g) were enriched cotyledon. Mn equally both (1.02 0.12 g 0.97 0.34 g, respectively). had high concentration Ca (652.02 114.82 Mg (249.19 34.12 wide variability (2.74–5.61 (0.88–3.95 (0.38–1.44 (0.58–2.18 g). It noteworthy that contents 7 18 times higher than coat, respectively, content 12 A correlation overall improvement selection small size desirable. On an average, portion contributed around 95% P; 90% Zn; 85% Fe, Cu, Mn; 75% Mg, while nearly 65% whole grain. findings concentrations can serve new guide improved technological fractionation these components novel functional ingredient dietary supplement address malnutrition.