Chickpea Flour | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Chickpea flour (besan) is a fine powder produced by milling dried chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.), a legume of the family Fabaceae; it is one of the oldest cultivated food ingredients, widely used in South Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines as a gluten-free flour substitute in batters, flatbreads, and snack foods. It is valued for its high protein content (~20–22%), dietary fibre, low glycaemic index, and functional binding properties.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Chickpea flour has a millennia-long history of safe consumption and is recognised as safe by major regulatory agencies with no established acceptable daily intake (ADI), as it is a whole food ingredient rather than a food additive. It contains antinutrients — phytic acid, tannins, and lectins — which are substantially reduced by heat treatment, and fermentable oligosaccharides (GOS/fructans, classified as FODMAPs) that can cause digestive discomfort in susceptible individuals. Individuals with legume allergies may experience IgE-mediated cross-reactive reactions due to shared allergenic proteins within the Fabaceae family; no IARC carcinogenicity classification or significant genotoxicity data exist for chickpea flour.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Chickpea flour is classified as a conventional food ingredient under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and is not subject to novel food pre-market assessment. No specific maximum use level applies; general food safety provisions under Standard 1.1.1 govern its use.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Chickpea flour is not classified as a novel food under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, as chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) have a well-documented history of significant human consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997. Regulated under general EU food law, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. No maximum use level or specific compositional restriction applies.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated as 'Bengal gram flour' (Cicer arietinum) under FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.4 (Cereals and Cereal Products). Standards require: no added colouring matter; freedom from Kesari dal (Lathyrus sativus) adulteration; minimum 80% of product passes through designated sieve; compliance with contaminant and pesticide residue limits under FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulation, 2011.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Individuals with IgE-mediated legume allergy (particularly to chickpea, peanut, soybean, lentil, or other Fabaceae members) should avoid chickpea flour due to cross-reactive allergenic proteins (vicilins, legumins) shared across the legume family.

Ibs — Chickpea flour is rich in galactooligosaccharides and fructans (high-FODMAP oligosaccharides) that are fermented by colonic bacteria, potentially triggering bloating, flatulence, and abdominal pain in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Ibd — The high insoluble fibre and FODMAP content of chickpea flour may exacerbate intestinal symptoms during active inflammatory bowel disease flares; consumption should be guided by a registered dietitian during remission planning.

Kidney Disease — Chickpea flour is high in protein (~20–22%), potassium (~846 mg/100 g), and phosphorus (~318 mg/100 g); patients with chronic kidney disease on protein- or mineral-restricted diets should limit intake under medical supervision.

— Chickpeas contain moderate purine levels (~57 mg/100 g); while considerably lower than meat-based purines, high intake of chickpea flour may contribute to elevated serum uric acid in hyperuricaemia-prone individuals and should be consumed in moderation.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. GRAS Notice (GRN) No. 1098 – Chickpea Protein Concentrate. fda.gov
2other. Novel Food Status Catalogue – European Commission. food.ec.europa.eu
3PubMed. Nutritional composition and functional properties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) flour – review, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4WHO. Dietary Protein Quality Evaluation in Human Nutrition – FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 92, 2013. fao.org
5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.4: Cereals and Cereal Products, 2011. fssai.gov.in

Independently researched5 citations