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The commercial success and environmental potential of pulses will not be assured sold as low premium for animal feed. Faba bean protein is excellent high value aquaculture feeds and its commercial success could be greater were generation of a faba bean protein concentrates possible during processing. Processing must also maximise the commercial potential of the bean starch too (ca. 60% by weight). Here we develop further already established IP using traditional brewing and distilling industries to create beer and neutral spirit (c.f. Walker et al., 2015), using whole beans that would normally inhibit the brewing process.

One twelfth of Scottish arable land would be required to serve aquaculture. This demand could be aligned to Scotland's already successful brewing and distilling capabilities which are of great economic importance. Allied to this approach, spring barley (the common and main raw material in the brewing and distilling industries), legume-supported intercropping could provide the respective N requirements of barley and possibly financial and carbon footprint savings.

We will also evaluate a non-N fertilised (and non-pesticide/herbicide treated) barley-pea intercrops can yield barley of sufficient quantity and quality to serve brewing and distilling industries.

While the intercropped barley will be processed for malting, the peas will also be developed as the beans for brewing, distilling and generation of high value byproducts - which will not be restructured to only animal feeds but extended to assess their potential in human foods too.

More information:

• Blog post: "Legumes in destilleries and breweries - novel beverages and high protein co-products"
• Video on Case Study 3
• Case Study Poster presented at the C-LIN Workshop 11/2017