AMINO-ACID-COMPOSITION, AVAILABLE LYSINE CONTENT AND IN-VITRO PROTEINDIGESTIBILITY OF SELECTED TROPICAL CROP SEEDS

As the search for alternative sources of food to alleviate hunger cont inues, this study was undertaken to determine nitrogen and amino acid content, chemical score, protein digestibility corrected amino acid sc ore, available lysine and in vitro digestibility of 8 lesser known, wi ld tropical seeds, gathered in Nigeria. Results were contrasted with a tropical soybean variety (Glycine max, TGX 1660-15F). The investigate d seeds were Millettia thonningii, Gliricidia sepium, Lonchocarpus ser iceus, Albizia zygia, Daneillia ogea and Afzelia bella from the family of Leguminosae, Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae) and Entandrophrag ma angolense (Meliaceae). The crude protein content, based on nitrogen determination, was found to be lower in the wild seeds compared to so ybean, which was partly due to the relatively high content of non-prot ein nitrogen. With reference to amino acid requirement and digestibili ty in most seed samples, lysine, followed by sulphur amino acids and t hreonine, were the limiting amino acids. It was concluded, that these less familiar wild seed plants may be used as valuable food or feed co mplements. However, further investigation is necessary to elucidate po tential toxic and antinutritional factors.