The future of lupin as a protein crop in Europe

Europe has become heavily dependent on soya bean imports, entailing trade agreements
and quality standards that do not satisfy the European citizen’s expectations. White,
yellow, and narrow-leafed lupins are native European legumes that can become true
alternatives to soya bean, given their elevated and high-quality protein content, potential
health benefits, suitability for sustainable production, and acceptability to consumers.
Nevertheless, lupin cultivation in Europe remains largely insufficient to guarantee a steady
supply to the food industry, which in turn must innovate to produce attractive lupin-based
protein-rich foods. Here, we address different aspects of the food supply chain that
should be considered for lupin exploitation as a high-value protein source. Advanced
breeding techniques are needed to provide new lupin varieties for socio-economically
and environmentally sustainable cultivation. Novel processes should be optimized to
obtain high-quality, safe lupin protein ingredients, and marketable foods need to be
developed and offered to consumers. With such an integrated strategy, lupins can be
established as an alternative protein crop, capable of promoting socio-economic growth
and environmental benefits in Europe.