PROTEIN DETERMINATION IN SINGLE CORNS

Determination of protein content in food materials is usually done by analyzing the nitrogen amount by wet chemical Kjeldahl method. An impr oved accuracy accompanied by smaller analyzing intervals can be achiev ed using nondestructive neutron activation. Analyses have been perform ed using 14 MeV neutrons to determine the content of N and P in single wheat corns. Irradiation parameters have been optimized to prevent se rious radiation damage in the grains. About 200 single corns have been investigated with total net weights ranging from 30 to 70 mg. The tes ted arrangement allows determination of nitrogen amount in a single co rn down to 0.3 mg with an accuracy of better than 4%. Mean nitrogen co ncentrations in the range from 9 to 19% per corn have been detected.