Updating lupin seed protein research and development opportunities to give a boost to a wealthy food protein source for human nutrition

Lupin seeds are becoming a real food alternative both as nutritious and healthy whole food and source of nutri-and techno-functional ingredients, especially the protein fraction which is the seed main component. Still, issues related to develop standardized, high-quality and health-promoting lupin ingredients and design new lupin-based food products have to be faced. Moreover, lupin component full potential to the prevention and treatment of many civilization diseases has not thoroughly been investigated yet. Two recent opportunities may contribute making significant steps toward the solution of these problems. One is the proposal of a lupin protein-devoted Horizon-2020 EU project in the frame of 'Proteins of the future' call. The other one is the body of activities associated to the 14th edition of the International Lupin Conference to be held in Milan, Italy under the auspices of EXPO-2015. Both initiatives are discussed in their relationships with the most advanced and recent scientific findings in the area.