Protein quality of diets based on tuber legume and cereal in weanling rats
Obizoba, I.C.
Qualitas Plantarum Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 35(1): 35-42
1985
DOI: 10.1007/bf01092015
Accession: 006212800
Weanling male rats (45-55 g) were studied to evaluate the protein quality of diets based on combinations of yam (YA); dehulled brown bean (DBB), dehulled white bean (DWB); and corn flour (PA) that provided 1.6 g N/100 g of diet. Casein served as the reference protein. Rats fed combinations of PA, DBB and DWB had increases in food intake, wt gain, N intake, digested and retained N, and liver N compared to those of the casein control group and the other test groups (P < 0.05). Supplementation of YA with DBB or DWB reduced wt gain, protein efficiency ratio (PER), N intake, digested and retained N, NPU [net protein utilization] and liver N values of the animals when compared with those fed the casein and the other diets containing YA. Combinations of DBB or DWB with PA appear to be the best mixtures as shown by food and N intakes, digested and retained N, liver N and wt gain. These mixtures may possibly be economic sources of N for weaning children where these are staples in the diet.