INFLUENCE OF SPICES ON PROTEIN-UTILIZATION OF WINGED BEAN (PSOPHOCARPUS-TETRAGONOLOBUS) AND HORSEGRAM (DOLICHOS-BIFLORUS)

The influence of a mixture of eleven spices commonly consumed in India on the utilisation of protein from boiled winged bean (Psophocarpus t etragonolobus) and horsegram (Dolichos biflorus) was studied at 10 and 20 percent level of protein intake in experimental rats. Spices used in the mixture include red chillies (Capsicum annum), black pepper (Pi per nigrum), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), garlic (Allium sativum), ajowan (Carum copticum), turmeric (Curcuma lo nga), caraway seeds (Carum carui) and fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare ). Addition of this spice mixture at 1.5% level of the diet decreased the TD of both legumes, significantly only in the case of horsegram. A significant increase was observed in the BV of both the legumes at bo th levels of protein tested.