A Nigerian food scientist is drawing national and international attention to an unlikely hero in the quest for sustainable nutrition: the jack bean.
Dr. Feyisola Ajayi, a lecturer at the Federal University Gashua in Yobe State, is championing groundbreaking research that could transform how indigenous crops are used in modern food systems. Her work focuses on the jack bean—locally known as the Nasarawa Egon bean—a hardy but underutilized legume traditionally consumed in parts of Nasarawa State.
Armed with a PhD in Food Science and Technology from the United Arab Emirates University, Dr. Ajayi has spent years investigating how proteins extracted from jack beans and lima beans can be standardized and applied in food formulation.
Her findings reveal that jack bean proteins possess strong emulsifying and gelling properties, making them valuable functional ingredients for improving texture, stability, and nutritional quality in food products.
Delving into the science of plant proteins, Dr. Ajayi examines how processing conditions affect protein structure and functionality, and how these characteristics can be optimized for industrial use.
She has also pioneered the development of cold-set protein gels using acid and divalent inducers, creating food-grade hydrogels with promising applications in nutrient encapsulation and controlled release systems.
Her research extends beyond jack beans. Dr. Ajayi has also explored bioactive peptides derived from soybean and chia seed hydrolysates, assessing their drug-likeness properties—an innovative step that bridges food science with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.
“Beyond being a staple legume in Nasarawa, the jack bean holds immense promise as a sustainable protein source,” Dr. Ajayi said. “My goal is to show that indigenous crops can play a global role in food innovation.”
With a growing portfolio of academic publications and collaborations, Dr. Ajayi is emerging as a leading voice in sustainable ingredient innovation and plant-protein diversification.
By blending traditional food knowledge with cutting-edge science, her work highlights the untapped potential of local crops and positions Nigeria as a contributor to the global movement toward healthier, plant-based solutions for the future of food.
