Anatomical and chemical characteristics of the seeds of Acacia wrightii (Benth) leguminosae

Mexico has about 134 genera of Leguminosae with 1707 species, most of them wild. Their nutritional potential is little known. Acacia wrightii (Benth), is a tree growing in the SE USA and NE Mexico, easily propagated and cold resistant. Ground seeds are consumed by the aborigines. Optical microscopy reveals readily detachable seed coat and parenchyma layer. By AOAC analytic al procedures the compositions of the integral and coatless flours are (%): fat 5.5 & 5.9; raw fiber 9 & 0.4%; dietary fiber 14 & 2.9; protein 18.5 & 20; both contain 16 mg/g phytates and 28 UIT/mg. The integral flour contain s 77 mg tannins, 96% of which are located in the tests and are therefore pr actically absent from the coatless flour. In this flour, phytates and prote in contents are similar to those of the common bean.