{"id":{"repo_id":"sask","oai_identifier":"oai:harvest.usask.ca:10388/18196"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/sask/oai:harvest.usask.ca:10388/18196","repository":{"repo_id":"sask","name":"University of Saskatchewan","base_url":"https://harvest.usask.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Nutritional and Bioactive Characterisation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Green Shoots as a Protein-Rich Leafy Vegetable","abstract":"The global pursuit of food security requires consistent access to food that is adequate in quantity, quality, and diversity, yet there is still a significant challenge, particularly in regions such as the Canadian Prairies, where the availability of fresh green leafy vegetables is limited outside the summer season. This thesis provides a comprehensive nutritional and biochemical characterisation of faba bean shoots (Vicia faba L.), hereafter referred to as faba greens, to investigate their potential as a sustainable, nutrient–rich alternative to imported leafy vegetables. Although faba beans are traditionally grown for their mature seeds in Saskatchewan, their vegetative tissues represent an underexplored resource that offers significant agronomic advantages, including adaptation to cool temperate climates and possibility as dietary vegetables. The novelty of this research conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan lies in the development and systematic evaluation of reciprocal grain × vegetable crosses; in parallel, the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences characterized the nutritional profile of the resulting faba greens from different generation of breeding lines. Analytical evaluation of approximately 540 breeding lines across parental, F1, and F2 generations, cultivated in both controlled phytotron and field environments revealed that faba greens had an exceptional protein level (25.0%–49.8% DW). This protein concentration significantly outperforms conventional leafy greens for example spinach and kale (20%–35%), with rubisco identified as the dominant soluble protein fraction. Protein accumulation was found to be the highest during early developmental stages and in controlled environments with stable nitrogen–fertilizer application. Compositional analysis demonstrated that faba greens are an abundant source of minerals (ash content reaching 8.8%–11.5%) and dietary fibre (up to 50%), providing a superior dietary mineral source compared to traditional vegetables. Fatty acid profiling confirmed a beneficial "leaf–lipid" pattern dominated by α–linolenic acid (omega–3 fatty acid), which constitutes over 65% of the total fatty acid content in field–grown samples. To assess amino acids, an optimized UHPLC–ESI MS method was developed for the direct quantification of 20 underivatized amino acids. The results showed a varied and superior amino acid signature, with high–protein F2 genotypes exhibiting significantly elevated concentrations of essential amino acids, including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, and valine. Asparagine and glutamine are the two dominate amino acids in faba greens, reflecting the primary nitrogen transporters in vegetative legume tissues. Furthermore, the research established that faba greens possess good bioactive potential. Total phenolic content (TPC) reached up to 88.4 mg GAE/g, significantly exceeding that of spinach (~12.40 mg/g) and kale (~18.77 mg/g), and correlated strongly with near–complete DPPH radical inhibition (~95%), indicating strong antioxidant potential. Additionally, faba greens were identified as a competitive source of vitamin C, with peak concentrations of 8.9 mg/g, which is more than four times higher than levels found in mature faba seeds and is comparable to other leafy greens. In conclusion, these findings provide a scientific basis for the integration of faba greens into sustainable food systems. By bridging the gap between the agronomic benefits of legume crops and the nutritional versatility of leafy shoots, faba greens represent a locally adapted, high–value functional vegetable.","abstract_html":"The global pursuit of food security requires consistent access to food that is adequate in quantity, quality, and diversity, yet there is still a significant challenge, particularly in regions such as the Canadian Prairies, where the availability of fresh green leafy vegetables is limited outside the summer season. This thesis provides a comprehensive nutritional and biochemical characterisation of faba bean shoots (Vicia faba L.), hereafter referred to as faba greens, to investigate their potential as a sustainable, nutrient–rich alternative to imported leafy vegetables. Although faba beans are traditionally grown for their mature seeds in Saskatchewan, their vegetative tissues represent an underexplored resource that offers significant agronomic advantages, including adaptation to cool temperate climates and possibility as dietary vegetables. The novelty of this research conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan lies in the development and systematic evaluation of reciprocal grain × vegetable crosses; in parallel, the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences characterized the nutritional profile of the resulting faba greens from different generation of breeding lines. Analytical evaluation of approximately 540 breeding lines across parental, F1, and F2 generations, cultivated in both controlled phytotron and field environments revealed that faba greens had an exceptional protein level (25.0%–49.8% DW). This protein concentration significantly outperforms conventional leafy greens for example spinach and kale (20%–35%), with rubisco identified as the dominant soluble protein fraction. Protein accumulation was found to be the highest during early developmental stages and in controlled environments with stable nitrogen–fertilizer application. Compositional analysis demonstrated that faba greens are an abundant source of minerals (ash content reaching 8.8%–11.5%) and dietary fibre (up to 50%), providing a superior dietary mineral source compared to traditional vegetables. Fatty acid profiling confirmed a beneficial "leaf–lipid" pattern dominated by α–linolenic acid (omega–3 fatty acid), which constitutes over 65% of the total fatty acid content in field–grown samples. To assess amino acids, an optimized UHPLC–ESI MS method was developed for the direct quantification of 20 underivatized amino acids. The results showed a varied and superior amino acid signature, with high–protein F2 genotypes exhibiting significantly elevated concentrations of essential amino acids, including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, and valine. Asparagine and glutamine are the two dominate amino acids in faba greens, reflecting the primary nitrogen transporters in vegetative legume tissues. Furthermore, the research established that faba greens possess good bioactive potential. Total phenolic content (TPC) reached up to 88.4 mg GAE/g, significantly exceeding that of spinach (~12.40 mg/g) and kale (~18.77 mg/g), and correlated strongly with near–complete DPPH radical inhibition (~95%), indicating strong antioxidant potential. Additionally, faba greens were identified as a competitive source of vitamin C, with peak concentrations of 8.9 mg/g, which is more than four times higher than levels found in mature faba seeds and is comparable to other leafy greens. In conclusion, these findings provide a scientific basis for the integration of faba greens into sustainable food systems. By bridging the gap between the agronomic benefits of legume crops and the nutritional versatility of leafy shoots, faba greens represent a locally adapted, high–value functional vegetable.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["KAUR, ASKET"],"institution":"University of Saskatchewan","degree_name":"Master of Science (M.Sc.)","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Food Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Zhang, Haixia"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Nickerson, Michael","Reaney, Martin","Vandenberg, Albert","Tanaka, Takuji"],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-04-06","date_published":"2026-04-06","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:26:57Z","subjects":["Faba bean","Faba greens","Genotypic variation","Nutritional composition","Amino acid","quantification, liquid chromatography (LC)","Mass Spectrometry (MS)","Bioactive compound","antioxidant capacity"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18196","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Zhang, Haixia"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Nickerson, Michael","Reaney, Martin","Vandenberg, Albert","Tanaka, Takuji"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["KAUR, ASKET"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-04-06T17:22:10Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-04-06T17:22:10Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-04-06"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Food Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (M.Sc.)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Saskatchewan"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Faba bean","Faba greens","Genotypic variation","Nutritional composition","Amino acid","quantification, liquid chromatography (LC)","Mass Spectrometry (MS)","Bioactive compound","antioxidant capacity"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18196"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The global pursuit of food security requires consistent access to food that is adequate in quantity, quality, and diversity, yet there is still a significant challenge, particularly in regions such as the Canadian Prairies, where the availability of fresh green leafy vegetables is limited outside the summer season. This thesis provides a comprehensive nutritional and biochemical characterisation of faba bean shoots (Vicia faba L.), hereafter referred to as faba greens, to investigate their potential as a sustainable, nutrient–rich alternative to imported leafy vegetables. Although faba beans are traditionally grown for their mature seeds in Saskatchewan, their vegetative tissues represent an underexplored resource that offers significant agronomic advantages, including adaptation to cool temperate climates and possibility as dietary vegetables. The novelty of this research conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan lies in the development and systematic evaluation of reciprocal grain × vegetable crosses; in parallel, the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences characterized the nutritional profile of the resulting faba greens from different generation of breeding lines. Analytical evaluation of approximately 540 breeding lines across parental, F1, and F2 generations, cultivated in both controlled phytotron and field environments revealed that faba greens had an exceptional protein level (25.0%–49.8% DW). This protein concentration significantly outperforms conventional leafy greens for example spinach and kale (20%–35%), with rubisco identified as the dominant soluble protein fraction. Protein accumulation was found to be the highest during early developmental stages and in controlled environments with stable nitrogen–fertilizer application. Compositional analysis demonstrated that faba greens are an abundant source of minerals (ash content reaching 8.8%–11.5%) and dietary fibre (up to 50%), providing a superior dietary mineral source compared to traditional vegetables. Fatty acid profiling confirmed a beneficial "leaf–lipid" pattern dominated by α–linolenic acid (omega–3 fatty acid), which constitutes over 65% of the total fatty acid content in field–grown samples. To assess amino acids, an optimized UHPLC–ESI MS method was developed for the direct quantification of 20 underivatized amino acids. The results showed a varied and superior amino acid signature, with high–protein F2 genotypes exhibiting significantly elevated concentrations of essential amino acids, including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, and valine. Asparagine and glutamine are the two dominate amino acids in faba greens, reflecting the primary nitrogen transporters in vegetative legume tissues. Furthermore, the research established that faba greens possess good bioactive potential. Total phenolic content (TPC) reached up to 88.4 mg GAE/g, significantly exceeding that of spinach (~12.40 mg/g) and kale (~18.77 mg/g), and correlated strongly with near–complete DPPH radical inhibition (~95%), indicating strong antioxidant potential. Additionally, faba greens were identified as a competitive source of vitamin C, with peak concentrations of 8.9 mg/g, which is more than four times higher than levels found in mature faba seeds and is comparable to other leafy greens. In conclusion, these findings provide a scientific basis for the integration of faba greens into sustainable food systems. By bridging the gap between the agronomic benefits of legume crops and the nutritional versatility of leafy shoots, faba greens represent a locally adapted, high–value functional vegetable."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Nutritional and Bioactive Characterisation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Green Shoots as a Protein-Rich Leafy Vegetable"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Zhang, Haixia"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Nickerson, Michael","Reaney, Martin","Vandenberg, Albert","Tanaka, Takuji"],"dc:creator":["KAUR, ASKET"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-04-06T17:22:10Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-04-06T17:22:10Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-04-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["The global pursuit of food security requires consistent access to food that is adequate in quantity, quality, and diversity, yet there is still a significant challenge, particularly in regions such as the Canadian Prairies, where the availability of fresh green leafy vegetables is limited outside the summer season. This thesis provides a comprehensive nutritional and biochemical characterisation of faba bean shoots (Vicia faba L.), hereafter referred to as faba greens, to investigate their potential as a sustainable, nutrient–rich alternative to imported leafy vegetables. Although faba beans are traditionally grown for their mature seeds in Saskatchewan, their vegetative tissues represent an underexplored resource that offers significant agronomic advantages, including adaptation to cool temperate climates and possibility as dietary vegetables. The novelty of this research conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan lies in the development and systematic evaluation of reciprocal grain × vegetable crosses; in parallel, the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences characterized the nutritional profile of the resulting faba greens from different generation of breeding lines. Analytical evaluation of approximately 540 breeding lines across parental, F1, and F2 generations, cultivated in both controlled phytotron and field environments revealed that faba greens had an exceptional protein level (25.0%–49.8% DW). This protein concentration significantly outperforms conventional leafy greens for example spinach and kale (20%–35%), with rubisco identified as the dominant soluble protein fraction. Protein accumulation was found to be the highest during early developmental stages and in controlled environments with stable nitrogen–fertilizer application. Compositional analysis demonstrated that faba greens are an abundant source of minerals (ash content reaching 8.8%–11.5%) and dietary fibre (up to 50%), providing a superior dietary mineral source compared to traditional vegetables. Fatty acid profiling confirmed a beneficial "leaf–lipid" pattern dominated by α–linolenic acid (omega–3 fatty acid), which constitutes over 65% of the total fatty acid content in field–grown samples. To assess amino acids, an optimized UHPLC–ESI MS method was developed for the direct quantification of 20 underivatized amino acids. The results showed a varied and superior amino acid signature, with high–protein F2 genotypes exhibiting significantly elevated concentrations of essential amino acids, including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, and valine. Asparagine and glutamine are the two dominate amino acids in faba greens, reflecting the primary nitrogen transporters in vegetative legume tissues. Furthermore, the research established that faba greens possess good bioactive potential. Total phenolic content (TPC) reached up to 88.4 mg GAE/g, significantly exceeding that of spinach (~12.40 mg/g) and kale (~18.77 mg/g), and correlated strongly with near–complete DPPH radical inhibition (~95%), indicating strong antioxidant potential. Additionally, faba greens were identified as a competitive source of vitamin C, with peak concentrations of 8.9 mg/g, which is more than four times higher than levels found in mature faba seeds and is comparable to other leafy greens. In conclusion, these findings provide a scientific basis for the integration of faba greens into sustainable food systems. By bridging the gap between the agronomic benefits of legume crops and the nutritional versatility of leafy shoots, faba greens represent a locally adapted, high–value functional vegetable."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18196"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["Faba bean","Faba greens","Genotypic variation","Nutritional composition","Amino acid","quantification, liquid chromatography (LC)","Mass Spectrometry (MS)","Bioactive compound","antioxidant capacity"],"dc:title":["Nutritional and Bioactive Characterisation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Green Shoots as a Protein-Rich Leafy Vegetable"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Food Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (M.Sc.)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Saskatchewan"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:26:57Z"}