American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics 2016; 2(4): 28-33 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajbes doi: 10.11648/j.ajbes.20160204.11 ISSN: 2471-9765 (Print); ISSN: 2471-979X (Online) Review Article Radiation, Plant Proteins and Sustainability Patricia Y. I. Takinami, Vanessa B. Uehara, Bruna S. Teixeira, Nelida L. del Mastro * Center of Radiation Technology, Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Sao Paulo, Brazil Email address: nlmastro@ipen.br (N. L. d. Mastro) * Corresponding author To cite this article: Patricia Y. I. Takinami, Vanessa B. Uehara, Bruna S. Teixeira, Nelida L. del Mastro. Radiation, Plant Proteins and Sustainability. American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics. Vol. 2, No. 4, 2016, pp. 28-33. doi: 10.11648/j.ajbes.20160204.11 Received: November 14, 2016; Accepted: December 7, 2016; Published: January 5, 2017 Abstract: The best sources of proteins for human nourishment come from animal origin. But, conventional meat production involves not only animal suffering but, also, prodigious amounts of water use and significant global warming gases produced per pound of meat. Sustainable plant proteins are good for human beings, as well as, for the planet. Specific natural resources like pulses, in particular, represent a very environmentally friendly and sustainable food source and are rich of high-quality and cost-effective protein ingredients. Ionizing radiation may contribute to food safety and food security. Also, irradiation could serve as an additional food processing method for inactivation or removal of certain antinutritional factors. In this work, the benefits of plant protein sources, particularly pulse protein foods, are highlighted. Moreover, a survey on database since 1970, about the relation among pulses, plant protein and ionizing radiation has been presented. Highlights: Pulses represent a very environmentally friendly and sustainable food source. Pulses are rich sources of high quality and cost effective protein ingredients. Ionizing radiation may contribute to food safety and food security and it could be applied for inactivation or removal of certain antinutritional factors. Keywords: Pulses, Plant Protein, Ionizing Radiation, Antinutritional Factors 1. Introduction Although the best sources of proteins come from animal origin, livestock farming incurs large and varied environmental burdens, dominated by beef. Replacing beef with efficient alternatives is, thus, potentially beneficial. To limit environmental impacts and improve agricultural sustainability, a next green movement, based on plant biology, is foreseen (Jez et al., 2016). Plant-based diets have been associated with a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes (Satija et al., 2016), heart disease and some types of cancer, as well as increased longevity. Current evidences support the idea that the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may be reduced by a dietary pattern that provides plenty of plant sources of protein (Richter, Skulas-Ray, Champagne & Kris-Etherton, 2015; Marsh, Zeuschner & Saunders, 2012). Vegetarian diets are typically lower in fat, particularly saturated fat, and higher in dietary fiber. Eshel et al. (2016) have shown that protein, mass and energy from plant-based replacements to beef, in the USA diet, are readily achievable and can reduce, significantly, the resource use, improving the diet related health outcome. To have enough protein in the diet is possible without meat, dairy, eggs, poultry, fish, or anything else derived from an animal, provided a proper mixture of plant protein may be ingested in the diet. When legumes such as beans, lentils and peanuts are combined with grains like wheat, rice and corn, a complete protein is obtained. Nevertheless, the presence of secondary plant compounds in plant foods, such as tannins and hydrolysable phenolics, may interfere with the level of protein and fiber contents and should be taken into consideration. Today, consumers seem to have an increasing interest in plant-based food. A recent American survey shows that one-quarter of meal preparers are regularly making more meatless meals and 61% declare that they serve beans/lentils as an alternative to a meat-based meal (Sloan, 2016). From the point of view of sustainability, one example of