Cereal Chem 53:928 - 936.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Air Classification of Field Peas and Horsebean Flours: Chemical Studies of Starch and Protein Fractions.

J. R. Vose, M. J. Basterrechea, P. A. J. Gorin, A. J. Finlayson, and C. G. Youngs. Copyright 1976 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Smooth field peas and horsebeans were each pin-milled and the flours air-classified to yield a protein concentrate (60-70% protein) and a crude starch fraction. Dehulling was not essential to this process, as the fiber is dense and is collected with the starch fraction, resulting in a low-fiber protein concentrate. The chemical nature of the pea and bean flour components was studied and the effects of air classification on the partition of the protein, starch, lipid, phytic acid, and oligosaccharides of the sucrose family into two markedly different fractions in a proportion of between 1:2 and 1:3 were evaluated. The less dense fraction contained 60-70% protein with an adequate lysine content and low methionine---a useful complement to protein derived from cereal grain. The larger fraction contains up to 80% of a 32-34% amylose starch. The application of air-classification techniques to grain legume processing has relatively low capital requirements and obviates the need for costly effluent disposal operations.