Within the frame of a project aimed at developing cereal based
products for the Italian population with improved nutritional quality,
the study of some bioactive components (polyphenols and lignans)
as well as their antioxidant properties was undertaken in
legume flours obtained from species commonly grown in Italy
and in sweet chestnuts (which are also extensively grown in Italy)
in order to assess their potential nutritional quality. The above raw
materials are easily available, cheap and their flavour is known and
liked by the Italian population.