Lupin

Lupin (lupine in the US) is a legume, in the same plant family as peanuts, soybeans, peas and chickpeas. Its seeds are eaten whole as a pickled snack, and they are ground into flour that bakers add to bread, pastries and pasta. Lupin can cause allergic reactions, including severe ones, and some people with a peanut allergy also react to it.

How to use it

Lupin turns up in two main forms:

• Lupini beans. Large, flat yellow beans sold in jars or brine, eaten as a snack in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. Dried bitter lupini contain bitter compounds and are soaked for several days in changing water before they are eaten, so jarred ones are the easy option.
• Lupin flour and protein. Used to add protein and color to bread, pastries, crêpes and pasta, and in many gluten-free and high-protein products.

Common mistakes

• Assuming lupin is only in obviously "health" foods. In parts of Europe it is used in ordinary bakery goods, sometimes without being obvious from the name of the product.
• Expecting a US label to call it out. Lupin is not one of the US major allergens, so it is listed by name in the ingredients but not in the "Contains" statement.
• Eating lupini beans you have soaked at home without knowing how. Poorly debittered beans can make you ill.

In recipes

In the EU and the UK, lupin is one of the 14 allergens, so it must be emphasized in the ingredients list on prepacked food, and restaurants and bakeries must be able to tell you if a dish contains it. Look for "lupin", "lupine", "lupin flour" or "lupin protein".

In a recipe, lupin flour usually replaces part of the wheat flour to add protein. If you need to avoid lupin, swap it for the same weight of the main flour in the recipe.

If you have a peanut allergy or think you react to lupin, talk to a doctor or allergist about whether you need to avoid it, and read labels every time you buy bread or gluten-free products.