Evaluation of milling and nutritional quality of iron-biofortified lentil genotypes under different locations

Abstract

Iron-biofortified lentils are only as useful as their end-use quality allows. This research evaluated milling recovery, iron and zinc retention, and protein of seven biofortified lentil genotypes at three locations in Emilia-Romagna, Italy (2022-2023). Genotype IBL-7 had the highest iron (74.1 mg/kg at Bologna) but lowest milling recovery (77.8%). A strong negative correlation (r = −0.94) existed between grain iron and milling recovery. IBL-4 offered the best balance: 49.8-55.3 mg Fe/kg with 83.1-85.1% recovery. Location effects were significant for iron but not protein. These findings highlight a trade-off between mineral density and milling quality that breeders should address.