Interdisciplinary approaches to enhance sensory properties and consumer acceptance in pulse crops

Societal Impact Statement Enhancing the flavor profile of pulse crops such as chickpea, dry pea, and lentil is essential for increasing human acceptance of plant‐based diets. Despite their nutritional value, undesirable sensory attributes of pulses, including off‐flavors and bitterness, reduce consumer acceptance. Identifying key flavor compounds across diverse genetic and environmental contexts and applying breeding and processing innovations can improve palatability. This interdisciplinary approach not only benefits consumers but also identifies broader implications for public health and agricultural policies aimed at promoting sustainable food systems. Summary Flavor is a major barrier to the broader acceptance of pulses in sustainable diets. This review examines the flavor chemistry and sensory characteristics of three popular cool‐season pulse crops: chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), dry pea ( Pisum sativum L.), and lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.). Flavor perception in pulses arises from volatile and non‐volatile compounds, including aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones that contribute to grassy, beany, and earthy flavors. Saponins and phenolic acids are responsible for bitterness and astringency, with sensory thresholds as low as 2 mg/ml. In contrast, pyrazines impart a nutty note detectable at concentrations as low as 0.001 to 0.002 μg/l. Although processing techniques such as fermentation, soaking, germination, and roasting can influence flavor, their specific impacts on flavor‐active compounds remain underexplored. Furthermore, understanding how these processing methods can interact with the genetic and environmental conditions influencing the biosynthesis of flavor compounds is limited. Bridging this gap requires integrating chemical analysis and sensory thresholds to better connect biochemical composition to consumer experience. Enhancing flavor through breeding may involve a trade‐off with other desirable traits, such as protein content, yield stability, micronutrient concentration, etc. Using separation tools such as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with sensory evaluation and machine learning models could advance predictive flavor profiling in early breeding stages. This review emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research to enhance the palatability and consumer acceptance of pulse‐based foods in the expanding global plant protein market.