Nutritional values and radical scavenging capacities of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) seeds in Valle Agricola district, Italy

Lathyrus sativus L., commonly known as grass pea, is an annual plant widely grown as a pulse crop and its dried seeds are harvested and consumed as a human food since ancient times. This plant is also commonly grown for animal feed and as forage. In the Mediterranean marginal areas, several grass pea germplasm of Lathyrus sativus L. are present and, among them the edible seeds of plants grown in Valle Agricola, a little town near Caserta (Italy), are well known for the local cuisine. Since there are no nutritional data available on the Lathyrus sativus grown in Valle Agricola, we have investigated nutritional values and metabolic profile of these seeds. Our results show that these seeds contain high levels of proteins (25.6±0.20 g/100 g) and essential amino acids (7.92 g/100 g). Different unsaturated fatty acids contribute to the total lipids amount (1.67±0.18 g/100 g); among them, the essential PUFA α-linolenic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids are the most abundant. Ascorbic acid (13.50±0.30 mg/100 g) and glutathione (15.90±0.10 mg/100 g) are also present and, the folic acid content (206.70±8.30 μg/100 g) represents 50% of the vitamin RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance). Total phenolic content (174.91±8.39/100 g), as well as the radical scavenging activity vs. DPPH radical and ABTS radical cation, have been estimated. The content of neurotoxin β-ODAP (16.2±0.5 g/Kg), commonly present in seeds of all examined grass pea genotypes and responsible of lathyrism paralysing disease, is quite high.