STRUCTURAL AND COMPOSITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CANARYSEED (PHALARIS-CANARIENSIS L)

Canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis L.) has small elliptical grains with hulls, which are covered with very fine silicious spicules that are se vere skin irritants and potentially carcinogenic. Because chemical tre atments and a glabrous genotype are now available for eliminating the spicules, the chemical composition of the dehulled great was determine d to evaluate its potential food and industrial applications. Canaryse ed greats contained 61.0% starch, which comprised small polygonal gran ules with diameters of 1.5-3.5 mu m. The greats averaged 18.7% protein compared to 15.0% in wheat, and the proportions of prolamin and glute lin in the protein averaged 77.7%, exceeding that in the control wheat protein of 73.5%. Canaryseed proteins were more deficient in lysine a nd threonine than wheat proteins but were very rich in cystine; trypto phan, and phenylalanine. For a cereal, canaryseed greats were very hig h in crude fat, 8.7%, and purified total lipid, 11.0%, containing 55% linoleic, 29% oleic, 11% palmitic, and 2.5% linolenic acids. The great and roller-milled flours were low in dietary fiber, soluble sugars, a nd total ash. The composition of small granule starch and gluten-like proteins, rich in tryptophan, suggests unique functional and nutrition al properties for canaryseed greats.