AILANTHUS EXCELSA ROXB (SIMAROUBACAE), A PROMISING SOURCE OF LEAF PROTEIN

Fresh leaves of Ailanthus excelsa and three protein fractions, unfract ionated, chloroplastic, and cytoplasmic, as well as pressed cake left after extraction of protein were subjected to proximate analysis. The cytoplasmic protein fraction contained 62.71% crude protein, while who le leaf contained 20.86%. The unfractionated and chloroplastic protein fractions contained more crude fat than the whole leaf and pressed ca ke. Compared to whole leaf and pressed cake, protein fractions were lo w in crude fiber. The presence of polyphenols was also studied. The am ino acid composition of the cytoplasmic fraction also showed an excell ent balance of essential amino acids. Results indicated that the leaf protein fractions from A. excelsa were nutritionally superior to the w hole leaf, pressed cake, and soyabean protein.