Fluoride content of common legume beans consumed in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT. The most widely used legume beans food in Ethiopia are fava beans (Vicia faba), green gram (Vigna radiata), white lupin (Lupinus albus), and three types of kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). These legume crops are grown in various regions of Ethiopia and can absorb significant amounts of fluoride from air, water, and soil. This study examined the fluoride content of legume beans collected from four different regions of Ethiopia by ion selective electrode potentiometry. Fluoride concentrations in this study were found to range from 1.9 to 22.8 mg/kg. Fava bean sample from Asella was found to contain higher fluoride (22.8 mg/kg) than in the fava beans from other sites and other beans from any site. Fluoride levels (13.0 mg/kg) in kidney bean from Migira was in the middle of the range while the fluoride levels (2.5 mg/kg) in the white lupin and green gram (1.9 mg/kg) were found in the lower end of the range. This study indicates that daily consumption of 100 g of fava and kidney beans may results in health problem while that of green gram and white lupin are safe for human health (will not exceed 3 mg/day set by Food and Nutrition Board of USA). KEY WORDS: Fava bean, Green gram, Kidney beans, White lupin, Food, Fluoride Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(6), 1325-1336. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i6.3