title: Nutritional evaluation of the germ meal and its protein isolate obtained from the carob seed (Ceratonia siliqua) in the rat.
abstract: 1. Evaluation of the germ meal (CGM) of carob seed (Ceratonia siliqua) and its protein isolate was carried out with weanling rats. Comparisons were made with casein, soya-bean meal, whole defatted egg and a soya-bean protein isolate (Promine-D) as protein sources. The growth-promoting effects and certain biological indices were evaluated using the protein efficiency ratio (PER), biological value (BV) and net protein utilization (NPU) bioassay procedures. 2. The unsupplemented CGM had a PER of 1.66 +/- 0.09 and an NPU of 0.58 +/- 0.013. Addition of DL-methionine at 4, 8 and 12 g/kg diet resulted in a PER of 1.95 +/- 0.11, 2.01 +/- 0.11 and 1.90 +/- 0.11 respectively. The corresponding BV values were 0.80 +/- 0.003, 0.78 +/- 0.015 and 0.74 +/- 0.011, and those for NPU 0.69 +/- 0.013, 0.66 +/- 0.026 and 0.63 +/- 0.020 respectively. The addition of amino acids improved the PER (2.24--2.59), BV (0.78--0.79) and NPU (0.71--0.73) values. 3. The BV and NPU assays for the unsupplemented carob germ isolate were low (BV 0.36 +/- 0.016, NPU 0.35 +/- 0.015). Supplementation with amino acids resulted in a positive increase with values of 0.66 +/- 0.013 and 0.64 +/- 0.013 for BV and NPU respectively.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001835:Body Weight; D004531:Eggs; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D012639:Seeds / Q000032:analysis; D013025:Glycine max
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins