Amino acid profile and scores of some selected traditional diets commonly consumed in northwest zone, Nigeria

Background and aims: Amino acids composition of local and regional dietary proteins determines the protein quality. The study was aimed at evaluating amino acid profiles of some selected traditional diets commonly consumed in Jigawa (JG), Kano (KN) and Katsina (KT) States, Northwest Zone-Nigeria. Methods: The selected prepared diets (four per state) include; JG Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (JG TMW SWKS), JG Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (JG TMY SWKS), JG Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (JG Danwake SWGOP), JG Moimoi, KN Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (KN TMW SWKS), KN Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (KN TMY SWKS), KN rice and beans served with groundnut oil and pepper (KN Rice and Beans SWGOP), KN Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (KN Danwake SWGOP), KT Tuwon masara using white maize served with Kuka soup (KT TMW SWKS), KT Tuwon masara using yellow maize served with Kuka soup (KT TMY SWKS), KT Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (KT Danwake SWGOP) and KT Dambu. The preparations were dried and grounded into powdered form and analyzed using standard methods. Results: The amino acid profile of the diets consumed in the three states show higher content of total non-essential amino acids (NEAA) compared with essential amino acids (EAA). The amino acid score of the prepared diets though higher than the standard amino acid score by WHO/FAO/UNU (2007), may support the normal growth of all age groups except lysine. The limiting amino acid score was found to be either lysine or SAA (cysteine + methionine) in all the 3 states’ diets. Histidine was found to have the highest score in all the diets except in JG Moimoi and KN Danwake served with groundnut oil and pepper (SWGOP) respectively. The low levels of lysine and SAA in some of the diets may be due to low contents of these amino acids in the ingredients used. Conclusion: This study showed that, the amino acid score of the prepared diets though higher than the standard amino acid score established by WHO/FAO/UNU may support the normal growth of infants, children as well as adults except lysine. Keywords: traditional diets, amino acids, amino acid profile, amino acid score.

Influence of macro and microelements on the biological value of wheat grain

This paper considers the influence of manganese and zinc sulfate, as well as Megamix-Zinc on the protein quality of grain of winter and spring wheat, when cultivating it on soils with a deficiency of certain microelements. It was found that treatment of seeds and growing plants of experimental crops with the studied preparations increased the content of the essential limiting amino acids in the grain of winter wheat - lysine by 85.7%, threonine by 116.7%, isoleucine + leucine by 20.9%, phenylalanine + tyrosine by 33.3% compared to the control variant. A rise in the amount and amino acid score of such limiting amino acids as lysine and threonine is also observed, which leads to a decline in the coefficient of difference of amino-acid scores up to 75.5% and an increase in the biological value of the total protein up to 24.5%. The total amount of amino acids in the grain of spring wheat increased when Megamix-Zinc was used in the cultivation technology, both on soils with natural fertility and with application of mineral fertilizers, which is associated with a rise in nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism. The increase in relation to the control group is 0.42 - 1.34 mg/g, depending on the variant. Under the influence of the factors used, amino acid score of individual amino acids of the spring wheat protein increases in relation to the control group up to 2.1%.

Protein Quality in Infant Formulas Marketed in Brazil: Assessments on Biodigestibility, Essential Amino Acid Content and Proteins of Biological Importance

Infant formulas, designed to provide similar nutritional composition and performance to human milk, are recommended when breastfeeding is not enough to provide for the nutritional needs of children under 12 months of age. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the protein quality and essential amino acid content of both starting (phase 1) and follow-up (phase 2) formulas from different manufacturers. The chemical amino acid score and protein digestibility corrected by the amino acid score were calculated. The determined protein contents in most formulas were above the maximum limit recommended by FAO and WHO guidelines and at odds with the protein contents declared in the label. All infant formulas contained lactoferrin (0.06 to 0.44 g·100 g−1) and α-lactalbumin (0.02 to 1.34 g·100 g−1) below recommended concentrations, whereas ĸ-casein (8.28 to 12.91 g·100 g−1), α-casein (0.70 to 2.28 g·100 g−1) and β-lactoglobulin (1.32 to 4.19 g·100 g−1) were detected above recommended concentrations. Essential amino acid quantification indicated that threonine, leucine and phenylalanine were the most abundant amino acids found in the investigated infant formulas. In conclusion, infant formulas are still unconforming to nutritional breast milk quality and must be improved in order to follow current global health authority guidelines.

Comparison of the Proximate Composition and Nutritional Profile of Byproducts and Edible Parts of Five Species of Shrimp

The nutritional components of different parts (meat, head, shell and tail) of Litopenaeus vannamei (L.v), Macrobrachium rosenbergii (M.r), Penaeus monodon (P.m), Fenneropenaeus chinensis (F.c), and Penaeus japonicus (P.j) were analyzed and their nutritional values were evaluated. For the five species of shrimp, the meat yield was 37.47–55.94%, and the byproduct yield was 44.06–62.53%. The meat yields of L.v and F.c were the highest (55.94 and 55.92%, respectively), and the meat yield of M.r was the lowest (37.47%). The shrimp contain high amounts of crude protein, and the values of the amino acid score (AAS), chemical score (CS), and essential amino index (EAAI) were greater than or close to 1.00, indicating that shrimp protein had higher nutritional value. The shrimp head was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs was from 0.37 to 1.68, indicating that the shrimp head is rich in n-3 PUFAs and is a good source of n-3 PUFAs. The five species of shrimp were rich in macro- and micro-minerals, especially in shrimp byproducts. The shrimp byproducts were also rich in other bioactive ingredients (astaxanthin), which are also very valuable for developing biological resources. Therefore, shrimp have many nutritional benefits, and their byproducts can also be used to develop natural nutraceuticals, which are considered to be one of the healthiest foods.

110 Evaluation of Macronutrient Composition and Amino Acid Digestibility of Select Novel Dietary Proteins for Use in Canine and Feline Nutrition

Demand for the inclusion of high-quality protein in companion animal diets has increased as owners have become more invested in the health of their pets. There is very little information on the nutrient content of novel proteins needed for a properly balanced diet, so as a result the objectives of this study were to determine the chemical composition, standardized amino acid digestibility using the precision-fed cecectomized rooster assay, and protein quality using digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS like) of raw chicken, spirulina, cricket meal, and fish (carp) slurry. Raw chicken has the lowest crude protein concentration (45.6%) on dry matter (DM) basis, whereas fish slurry had the highest (75.3%). All amino acids were moderately to highly digestible (70.2% to 98.8%, dry matter basis) with differences (P < 0.05) in all but arginine, phenylalanine, threonine, cysteine, serine, and tyrosine. The limiting amino acid based on DIAAS-like values for adult dogs compared with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommended values were tryptophan for raw chicken and methionine for cricket meal. Comparing DIAAS-like values for adult dogs to National Research Council (NRC) recommended allowances, the limiting amino acids were the same where raw chicken and fish slurry still had tryptophan and spirulina and cricket meal had methionine as the first limiting amino acids. The DIAAS-like values for adult cats compared to AAFCO and NRC values were all above 100% with the lowest being threonine for chicken (123.65%) compared to AAFCO nutrient profile for adult cats and histidine for spirulina (123.13%) compared to NRC for cats at maintenance. Based on the data gathered in this study, the novel dietary protein sources evaluated are of similar or superior protein quality compared with raw chicken; a traditional protein source widely used in pet foods.

Brief Research Report: Estimation of the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score of Defatted Walnuts

Introduction: Walnuts are considered a good source of essential fatty acids, which is unique among tree nuts. Walnuts are also composed of about 10–15% protein, but the quality of this protein has not been evaluated. Pistachios and almonds have been evaluated for their protein content using a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), but it is unclear how the quality of protein in walnuts relates to that in other commonly consumed tree nuts. The objective of this study was to substantiate the protein quality of walnuts by determining their PDCAAS.Methods: A small, 10-day dietary intervention trial was conducted using male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8, 4 per group) with two diets: a nitrogen-free diet and a diet containing protein exclusively from defatted walnuts. Feed intake and fecal output of nitrogen were measured to estimate the true protein digestibility, and the amino acid compositions of walnuts compared to child and adult populations were used to calculate amino acid scores (AAS) and PDCAAS.Results: The true protein digestibility score of raw walnuts was calculated to be 86.22%. Raw walnuts contained 15.6 g protein/g walnut with AAS of 0.45 and 0.63 for children aged 6 months to 3 years and 3–10 years, respectively. For each population, a PDCAAS of 39 and 46% was calculated, respectively, using a protein conversion constant of 5.30. Using a protein constant of 6.25, a PDCAAS of 39% (6 months - 3 years) or 46% (3-10 years) was calculated.Conclusions: This is the first known assessment of the PDCAAS of walnuts. Like almonds, they appear to have a low-to-moderate score, indicating they are not a quality source of protein.

Phytochemicals and Amino Acids Profiles of Selected sub-Saharan African Medicinal Plants’ Parts Used for Cardiovascular Diseases’ Treatment

For years, the focus on the lipid–atherosclerosis relationship has limited the consideration of the possible contribution of other key dietary components, such as amino acids (AAs), to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Notwithstanding, the potential of plant-based diets, some AAs and phytochemicals to reduce CVDs’ risk has been reported. Therefore, in this study, the phytochemical and AA profiles of different medicinal plants’ (MPs) parts used for CVDs’ treatment in sub-Saharan Africa were investigated. Fourier-transform infrared analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl, amino and other bioactive compounds’ functional groups in the samples. In most of them, glutamic and aspartic acids were the most abundant AAs, while lysine was the most limiting. P. biglobosa leaf, had the richest total branched-chain AAs (BCAAs) level, followed by A. cepa bulb. However, A. cepa bulb had the highest total AAs content and an encouraging nutraceutical use for adults based on its amino acid score. Principal component analysis revealed no sharp distinction between the AAs composition of MPs that have found food applications and those only used medicinally. Overall, the presence of medicinally important phytochemicals and AAs levels in the selected MPs’ parts support their use for CVDs treatment as they might not add to the AAs (e.g., the BCAAs) burden in the human body.

BIOACTIVATED BUCKWHEAT IN TERMS OF ITS NUTRITIONAL VALUEBIOACTIVATED BUCKWHEAT IN TERMS OF ITS NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Buckwheat is a gluten-free pseudocereal crop consumed as functional food in some regions. Traditionally, buckwheat grain is used to make buckwheat groats and flour. Bioactivation improves the nutritional value of buckwheat grain by activating hydrolytic enzymes that make nutrients available for the plant’s growth and for the human body. The article contains research on the content of nutrients in bioactivated buckwheat grain of the Kupava variety grown in Belarus. The study examined hulled buckwheat kernels (not steamed) of the botanical variety Kupava, cream-coloured with a greenish hue, with the humidity 12.0%, and with the proportion of sound kernels 99.4%. At the first stage of germination, bioactivated buckwheat grain was obtained in 48 hours. It had the following characteristics: humidity (39.2±1.0)%, sprout size (2.0±0.5) mm. According to the organoleptic parameters, the grain had a pleasant sweetish taste and a subtle nutty aftertaste. The components of bioactivated buckwheat grain that provide a person with the largest amounts of macronutrients are starch (31.84±0.6)%, sugars (5.1±0.3)%, and protein (5.67±0.02)%. Bioactivated buckwheat grain contains all essential amino acids (30.5% of the total quantity of amino acids). The limiting amino acid is threonine (amino acid score 31.7%). Of nonessential amino acids, there is a high content of glutamic acid (1.0972 g per 100 g). The difference ratio of the amino acid score is 54.75%, the potential biological value of the protein is 45.25%. 100 g of sprouted buckwheat grain contains 48.5% of the daily requirement of manganese, 24.0% of copper, 18.9% and 34.0% of iron (for women and for men respectively), about 23.0% of the daily requirement of vitamin B1, and 12.7% of the daily requirement of vitamin E. Besides, bioactivated buckwheat grain contains fibre (6.5% of the daily requirement on average). Bioactivated buckwheat grain can be consumed as a meal in its own right, as a side dish, as an additive to salads and fermented dairy products, or as a dessert when mixed with fruit purée, honey, or dried fruit.

AMINO ACID PROFILE AND IN VITRO PROTEIN DIGESTIBILITY-CORRECTED AMINO ACID SCORE (PDCAAS) OF READY-TO-EAT BREAKFAST CEREALS: AN ASSESSMENT OF PROTEIN QUALITY

The aim of this study was to determine the amino acid content and in vitro protein digestibility of breakfast cereals and evaluate their protein quality using in vitro protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) methods. Statistically big differences were found in the proportions of essential amino acids between breakfast cereals. Higher protein digestibility was found in samples containing rice and corn than those containing oats. The first limiting amino acid score (AAS) in 6 out of 12 samples was methionine + cysteine, in 4 out of 12 samples was lysine, and in 2 out of 12 samples was tryptophan. According to the first limiting AAS, the in vitro PDCAAS ranged from 0.19±0.01 to 0.86±0.02 in breakfast cereals. When we evaluated the first limiting AAS, lysine, methionine+cysteine and tryptophan predominantly determined PDCAAS. As a result, the PDCAAS, which is an indicator of protein quality, was generally low in breakfast cereal products.