Thank you everyone for great discussion and insightful comments. I would like to follow up on some of the issues raised in regards to pulse consumption levels. Since pulses are rich in nutrients and an eco-friendly source of dietary protein, we would expect them to be utilized to a greater extent. I agree with the point made by Sarah Najera that pulses need to modernize in order for consumers to adopt them, especially in regions where they are not a dietary staple. I would like to hear thoughts from others on how to approach this. In some cases updating the packaging and highlighting the nutrition label may go a long way. Adding pulses to new products also has the potential to increase consumption, especially if care is taken in regards to taste, convenience, and nutritional value of the products. Also, what about creating excitement around traditional recipes by reintroducing them in an updated way? I also would like to ask people’s opinions on what approaches should be used to increase consumption in places where pulses are a dietary staple but people are moving away from them for various reasons.
Dr. Karen Cichy