Sprau cultivates “awakened” Finnish fava beans, eliminating digestive problems and improving taste

10 Dec 2020 --- Finnish bean cultivator Sprau is unveiling a “reawakened” version of the nation’s ancient fava bean with improved taste and formulation properties. The company says it could soon replace traditional beans like soy in a wide range of food and nutrition applications.

Sprau, an entrepreneurial platform of barley producer Viking Malts, has used innovative techniques to alter the flavor of fava beans and prevent the digestive discomfort experienced by consumers.

Annika Willemson, vice president of innovation at Sprau, explains the process to NutritionInsight. 

“When the fava bean germinates, it consumes alpha-galactosides to support its germination. This is a good thing because alpha-galactosides cause digestive discomfort in many people. Some consumers choose not to eat beans at all to avoid this discomfort.”

Alpha-galactosides are a type of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPS) – short chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the body. 

“But with Sprau, FODMAPs are no longer an issue because germination has removed them,” she explains.

Sprau’s germination technique removes carbohydrates that cause digestive problems and bitter taste.Germinating flavorful beans 
“We finish off the germination by a mild heating and drying treatment, giving us a dry, stable bean with significantly improved stability. 

“With our unique treatment, we reduce astringency, bitter aftertaste and beany- and pea-like flavor. The flavor of Sprau is mildly roasted and cereal-like,” Willemson states. 

Sprau says this treatment process makes its beans easier and cheaper to use because masking the flavor with additives is no longer necessary. 

“For the consumer, it is easier to eat, and there are no worries about digestive discomfort. Because Sprau fava beans are also whole grain products, it is also balanced in its nutritional profile. It is high in protein (35 percent), but also carries about 5 percent of fiber and a lot of minerals and vitamins,” she continues. 

Willemson says the technical challenges in altering the beans this way has been a challenge, which the company has risen to on the back of decades of experience. The absence of FODMAPs in Sprau's fava beans eliminates digestive problems commonly experienced by consumers.

“The main technical challenges were related to finding exactly the right conditions to ensure the easiness for digestion as well as optimizing the flavor.” 

“We used our expertise in germination. We have germinated barley since 1897. Our roots are in the family-owned Polttimo Group and Viking Malt, where Sprau is launched as an entrepreneurial innovation platform.”

“Awakening” industry to fava’s potential
The concept of “awakened” beans at the core of Sprau’s marketing is twofold, Willemson continues. 

“When we germinate the beans, we awaken them from the resting stage, and they become metabolically active. They take up water, breathe and use some of their stored nutrients, releasing sugar and amino acids.”

“On the other hand, Sprau is awakening industry, humanity and the planet by encouraging a shift toward sustainable and healthy eating habits by making pulses more accessible and easy to enjoy in your everyday diet.”

Sprau’s awakened fava as a replacement for common varieties of bean used in functional foods and supplements is a potential the company hopes will expand throughout industry. 

Sprau hopes formulating fava beans for meat and dairy alternatives will become increasingly popular.Willemson names a few of the possible uses the company hopes other industry players will use them for, particularly in light of the growing plant-based and natural health trends. 

“Because Sprau is mild in flavor and contains sugars and free amino acids, it is a good base for fermented products like plant-based alternatives to yogurt.”

“It also works in meat analogs, where it is best to use, for example, together with pea protein or some other isolate, to give better flavor and good nutritional profile.”

“Thirdly, you can make various healthy snacks using Sprau, such as hummus or dry-extruded crisps.”

Innova Market Insights listed “The Plant-Based Revolution” as its second top trend of 2020 – something companies like Sprau are seeking to tap into. 

Reawakening the environment
Another pressing advantage of cultivating Sprau’s fava beans says the company, is its comparative environmental benefits.

“There is an increasing interest in alternatives to soybean,” says Willemson. 

“It is the dominating legume. Using fava beans as raw material, we want to drive a biodiversity agenda, giving new life to a somewhat forgotten crop. In addition, fava beans have no allergens.”

Cultivation of the beans reduces CO2 emissions considerably, has a robust biological nitrogen fixation capability and increases soil fertility, she concludes. 

By Louis Gore-Langton