Tocochromanol content and composition in Jatropha curcas seeds

Physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) is a promising seed oil source for biodiesel production. Natural antioxidants play a major role in maintaining oxidative stability of oils and they also have important food and industrial applications. Among them, tocochromanols are the most abundant in seeds. The objective of this research was to evaluate the variation for tocochromanol content and profile in a germplasm collection of 52 accessions of J. curcas. Seeds collected in two different periods, August and November of 2009, were analysed for tocochromanol content. Additionally, the dynamics of tocochromanol accumulation in developing seeds was studied. Total seed tocochromanol content averaged 307.2 mg kg⁻¹ in August and 303.7 mg kg⁻¹ in November, whereas total oil tocochromanol content averaged 507.4 mg kg⁻¹ in August and 500.8 mg kg⁻¹ in November. The tocochromanol fraction was made up of 15.4% gamma-tocopherol, 83.8% gamma-tocotrienol, and 0.8% delta-tocotrienol in August and 18.0% gamma-tocopherol, 80.4% gamma-tocotrienol, and 1.6% delta-tocotrienol in November. Genotype × environment effects were identified for tocochromanol content but not for the proportion of major tocochromanol homologues, which showed a high positive correlation between both environments. Developing seeds contained primarily alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol at early stages of development, with gamma-tocotrienol and delta-tocotrienol being practically undetectable. Gamma-tocotrienol content remained practically undetectable till 66 DAP and then increased pronouncedly to final levels of 177.1 mg kg⁻¹ (74.8% of the total tocochromanol content). The powerful antioxidant and health-promoting properties of gamma-tocotrienol encourages further studies on selection for the tocopherol/tocotrienol ratio in Jatropha and on the potential of tocochromanols as high added-value products derived from Jatropha seed oil production.     

Amino acid composition, available lysine content and in vitro protein digestibility of selected tropical crop seeds

As the search for alternative sources of food to alleviate hunger continues, this study was undertaken to determine nitrogen and amino acid content, chemical score, protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, available lysine and in vitro digestibility of 8 lesser known, wild tropical seeds, gathered in Nigeria. Results were contrasted with a tropical soybean variety (Glycine max, TGX 1660-15F). The investigated seeds wereMillettia thonningii, Gliricidia sepium, Lonchocarpus sericeus, Albizia zygia, Daneillia ogea andAfzelia bella from the family of Leguminosae,Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae) andEntandrophragma angolense (Meliaceae). The crude protein content, based on nitrogen determination, was found to be lower in the wild seeds compared to soybean, which was partly due to the relatively high content of non-protein nitrogen. With reference to amino acid requirement and digestibility in most seed samples, lysine, followed by sulphur amino acids and threonine, were the limiting amino acids. It was concluded, that these less familiar wild seed plants may be used as valuable food or feed complements. However, further investigation is necessary to elucidate potential toxic and antinutritional factors.     

Improving the protein content and composition of cereal grain

Cereals are important sources of protein for human nutrition but have low quality due to limitations in the amounts of essential amino acids, notably lysine. These deficiencies result from the low levels of these amino acids in the prolamin storage proteins and hence are exacerbated when high levels of nitrogen fertiliser are used to increase yield and total protein content.Genetic and genetic engineering strategies to increase both total protein content and the composition of essential amino acids have been employed. These include the exploitation of mutant high lysine genes and the use of transformation to either express additional proteins which are rich in lysine and/or methionine or to increase the free pools of these amino acids.     

Proximate composition,energy content and physiochemical properties ofAfzelia africana andBrachystegia eurycoma seeds

The proximate composition, energy content and physiochemical properties ofAfzelia africana andBrachystegia eurycoma seeds were determined. The bulk density, reconstituability, foam properties and emulsification properties of flour samples in water, 1% saline and 1% alkali were studied. There were no significant differences (p0.05) in the proximate composition of seeds from different agroclimatic zones. The energy content of seeds were comparable to that of other legume seeds (5.7 kcal/g forA. africana and 4.5 kcal/g forB. eurycoma seeds). Foam properties ofB. eurycoma seeds were found to be better than that ofA. africana seeds in terms of foam volume and stability. Emulsification properties ofB. eurycoma seeds were also found to be better thanA. africana seeds suggesting thatB. eurycoma seeds would be more efficient in food systems requiring the formation of stable foams and emulsions. Protein solubility in alkali was found to be better than in water and in 1% saline. The bulk densities and reconstitution indices of flour samples from the two seeds were found to be similar.     

Chemical composition of papaya seeds

Seeds of papaya cultivated in Somalia, which accounted for about 16% of the fresh fruit weight, were divided into sarcotesta and endosperm. Sarcotesta showed higher percentages of ash, crude protein, and crude fiber than did endosperm, but was lacking in fat. In contrast, endosperm contained 60% fat. Oil extract showed very high levels of oleic and palmitic acids. The essential amino acid profiles of endosperm and sarcotesta protein were determined and compared with the provisional FAO essential amino acid profile. The results indicated that the endosperm protein was a good potential source of supplemental protein.     

Nutrient content of Prosopis africana seeds

The proximate and mineral compositions of Prosopis africana seeds used in the preparation of a local condiment in Nigeria and as animal feed were investigated. The proximate analysis showed that protein, ash and fiber values were comparable to Parkia africana seeds. However, the crude lipid content was lower than Parkia filicoidea seeds and decorticated groundnut. Phosphorus, potassium and calcium were the major mineral elements of the seeds, thereby suggesting that they could contribute partially to the overall daily intake of these elements.     

Comparison of procedures to determine protein content of developing bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Micro-Kjeldahl, Lowry and Bradford procedures were compared for determining the protein content ofPhaseolus vulgaris seeds during their development. Micro-Kjeldahl and biuret techniques were also compared with mature seeds of a normal and a genetically-improved bean cultivar. The protein contents of casein and soy protein isolate were as well estimated by these four methods. For many samples of both bean and food protein products large disagreements were found between micro-Kjeldahl and the other three procedures.     

Molybdenum-enriched soybean seeds enhance N accumulation, seed yield, and seed protein content in Brazil

High soybean yields require large amounts of nitrogen (N), which can be obtained mainly from symbiotic N₂ fixation. However, the efficiency of this biological process can be limited by micronutrient deficiencies, especially of molybdenum (Mo). In Brazil, soybean generally responds positively to fertilization with Mo in soils of low fertility and in fertile soils depleted of Mo due to long-term cropping. The micronutrient can be supplied by seed treatment, however toxicity of Mo sources to Bradyrhizobium strains applied to seed as inoculant has been observed, resulting in bacterial death and reductions in nodulation, N₂ fixation and grain yield. Therefore, use of seeds enriched in Mo could be a viable alternative to exterior seed treatment, allowing elite inoculant strains of Bradyrhizobium to sustain high rates of biological N₂ fixation. We demonstrated the feasibility of producing Mo-rich seeds of several soybean cultivars, by means of two foliar sprays of 400 g Mo ha⁻¹ each, between the R3 and R5 stages, with a minimum interval of 10 days between sprays. As a result of this method, considerable increases in seed-Mo content were obtained, of as much as 3000%, in comparison to seeds obtained from plants which received no Mo. In field experiments performed in soils with low N content and without any N-fertilizer supply, inoculation of Mo-rich seeds produced plants with increased N and Mo contents in the grain and higher yields of total N and of grain. In most cases, Mo-rich soybean seeds did not require any further application of Mo-fertilizer.     

Amino acid composition of coagulable protein from tubers of 34 potato varieties and its relationship with protein content

Summary Samples of coagulable protein, from tubers of 34 varieties ofSolanum tuberosum, were analysed for amino acids. The coagulable protein was rich in most of the essential amino acids. The essential amino acid index ranged from 86 to 93. Methionine was the first limiting essential amino acid. Its content in coagulable protein was considerably higher than values reported in literature. Lysine content was very high, which makes the protein a valuable component for mixed feed. Arginine was the second limiting amino acid. The varietal differences in amino acid composition were small. There was no correlation between protein content and content of most of the essential amino acids. Breeding for increased protein content in potato may be expected to have little effect on the nutritional value of the protein. Selection can be directed to content of coagulable protein.

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Zusammenfassung Aus Knollen von 34 Sorten vonSolanum tuberosum mit grossen Unterschieden im Proteingehalt wurden Muster von koagulier-barem Protein hergestellt. Die Proteinmuster wurden auf Aminos?uren analysiert. Methionin und Cystin wurden mittels einer Methode von Moore (1963) (Tabelle 1) getrennt bestimmt. Das koagulierbare Protein weist hohe Gehalte bei den meisten essentiellen Aminos?uren auf (Tabelle 2). Der Index der essentiellen Aminos?uren (EAAI) reichte von 86 bis 93, was für ein Pflanzenprotein hoch ist. Methionin was die erste begrenzende essentielle Aminos?ure (Tabelle 3), aber sein Gehalt war bedeutend h?her als in der Literatur aufgeführt. Der Lysingehalt war sehr hoch, was das Protein zu einem wertvollen Bestandteil für Mischfutter macht. Arginin war die zweite begrenzende Aminos?ure. Zwischen Arginin- und dem Proteingehalt wurde eine signifikant negative Korrelation (r=−0,589) festgestellt. Dies ist wichtig. wenn das Protein im Futter für Geflügel, das einen hohen Argininbedarf hat, verwendet wird. Die sortenbedingten Unterschiede in der Zusammensetzung der Aminos?ure waren relativ klein (Tabelle 2). Es gab keine Korrelation zwischen Proteingehalt und dem Gehalt an den meisten essentiellen Aminos?uren (Tabelle 4). Der Züchtung auf erh?hten Proteingehalt in Kartoffeln wird nur wenig Einfluss auf den N?hrwert des Proteins haben. So kann die Auslese auf den Gehalt an koagulierendem Protein ausgerichtet werden.

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Résumé Dans le but d'étudier les protéines coagulables on a préparé des échantillons avec 34 variétés deSolanum tuberosum ayant de grandes différences dans leur teneur en protéines. A partir de ceux-ci on a effectué l'analyse des acides aminés. La méthionine et la cystine ont été évalués sèparément par la méthode de Moore (1963) (tableau 1). Les protéines coagulables avaient une teneur élevée pour la plupart des acides aminés indispensables (tableau 2). Leur index se situait entre 86 et 93, ce qui est élevé pour des protéines de plantes. La méthionine a été le premier acide aminé indispensable limitant (tableau 3) mais sa teneur était considérablement plus élevée que celle donnée dans la littérature. La teneur en lysine était très haute, faisant de ces protéines un constituant valable pour les aliments composés. L'arginine a été le second acide aminé limitant. Une corrélation négative (r=−0,589) entre l'arginine et le taux de protéines s'est avérée significative. On doit en tenir compte lorsque ces protéines sont utilisées comme aliments destinés aux volailles, qui nécessitent un taux élevé d'arginine. Les différences variétales en acides aminés ont été relativement faibles (tableau 2). Il n'existe pas de corrélation entre la teneur des protéines et la plupart des acides aminés indispensables (tableau 4). L'hybridation dans le but d'augmenter le taux de protéines dans les pommes de terre peut être considéré comme n'ayant que peu d'effet sur la valeur nutritionnelle de ces protéines. Aussi, la sélection peut être orientée vers l'amélioration de la teneur en protéines coagulables.

     

Lipid composition of lesser known tropical seeds

The lipid content and fatty acid profiles of four lesser known tropical seeds,Piper guineense, Chrysophyllum albidum, Garcinia kola andDennettia tripetala, were determined. The total lipid content (g/kg dry weight) ranged between 31.8 and 68.9. The ranges of values for neutral lipids, triacylglycerol of neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids were 17.3–58.0, 15.0–49.6, 3.0–7.2 and 3.7–11.2, respectively. The fatty acid profiles showed variation among different seeds. All the seeds contained substantial amounts of unsaturated fatty acids. Oleic and linoleic acids were the most abundant fatty acids.Dennettia tripetala andPiper guineense also contained moderate amounts of linolenic acid.     

Chemical composition and nutritional quality ofCleome dolichostyla seeds

Seeds ofCleome dolichostyla were analysed for proximate composition, mineral element contents and amino acid composition, in-vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) and calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER). The seeds (dry basis) were rich in oil (32.1%), protein (24.6%) and fiber (17.8%) content. The contents of various mineral elements mg/100 g) were: Ca=1970, P=493, Mg=127, Na=35, K=465, Fe=71.97, Zn=2.25, Cu=0.44 and Mn=1.45. Aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, arginine and histidine were the major amino acids inC. dolichostyla seed protein accounting for half of the total amino acids. Lysine was the most limiting essential amino acid (FAO/WHO, 1973 reference pattern) with a chemical score of 45 for the protein. The IVPD of cleome seed protein was 72.2% and C-PER was 1.08 relative to the IVPD and C-PER values of 90.0% and 2.50 for the Animal Nutrition Research Council casein.     

Italy-grown hemp: yield,composition and cannabinoid content

Following the program of the Italian Administration for the reintroduction of hemp cultivation in Italy, many problems arose concerning the agricultural aspects, the processing of the raw material (usually hemp roundbales) and the presence of cannabinoids in the hemp crop. This study was set in order to answer some of these questions. In 1998, eight hemp varieties (three dioecious Italian genotypes and five monoecious French genotypes) were grown in Ferrara province, Italy by the AASM. The hemp was harvested at two different periods. The stems were analysed and dry-mechanically treated at the Centro Tecnico Industriale of IPZS in Roma and the cannabinoid content analysis was performed at the ISCI, Bologna. No significant difference was found for the biomass production neither between the eight varieties nor between the two different harvesting periods. The dry-mechanical treatment is very effective in removing the relatively low-value fractions of the crop (like the top sections of the stems). The eight hemp varieties perform differently at the dry mechanical separation treatment and give different percentages of bast, core and dust. Cannabinoids do not accumulate in the dust fraction thus showing that the dry-mechanical treatment does not increase the concentration of harmful substances in by-products.     

The saponins content of some Nigerian oil seeds

Three oil bearing seeds grown in Nigeria were found to contain saponins. The oil seeds, African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla) rubber seed (Havea brasilienses), andMucuna uriens were defatted and saponin fractions extracted with 20% aqueous ethanol. Saponins obtained after extraction were 2.1% for African oil bean seed, 1.8% for rubber seed, and 2.1% forMucuna. These figures were similar to that of defatted soyabean with 2.4%. Results are discussed in relation to the possible beneficial or detrimental effects of saponins to man or animals that may consume these oil seeds.     

Protein and amino acid composition of some wild leguminous seeds

The seeds of five different species ofAcacia, twoAlbizzia, twoErythrina and two species ofMucuna were analysed for their protein and amino acid composition. Some of these seeds are comparable to a popular food legume,Cicer arietinum, in protein and amino acid composition.     

Studies on samh seeds (Mesembryanthemum forsskalei Hochst) growing in Saudi Arabia: 2: Chemical composition and microflora of samh seeds

The chemical composition of samh seed have been investigated. Proximate analysis showed a composition of 22.25% protein, 5.7% moisture, 5.6% fat, 4.0% ash, 9.7% crude fiber, and the remainder being total carbohydrates. Mineral element analysis revealed that potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium were present as the major elements. Iron, manganese, zinc and copper were found at lower levels. However, lead was not detected in the samh seeds. Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of the methylester of the fatty acids of the samh seeds oil revealed the presence of fourteen fatty acids. Linoleic and oleic acids were the principle unsaturated fatty acids. While palmitic acid was the main saturated fatty acid. Amino acid analysis of the samh seeds showed the presence of seventeen amino acids including eight essential amino acids. Glutamic acid, arginine, and aspartic acid were the major amino acids. Cystine and proline were present in trace amounts. These results some of which have not been reported elsewhere indicate the high nutritional potential of Saudi samh seeds. The total aerobic bacterial count and total sporeformers of seeds were 19×10⁷ and 5×10⁴ cfu/g respectively, thus the enterobacteriaceae,B cereus and yeast and molds were 5×10², 1×10² and 7×10² respectively. The seeds were Staph. free and the samh extract had no antimicrobial effect.     

Amino acid composition protein quality and water-soluble vitamin content of germinated cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata)

Amino acid composition, protein digestibility, calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER and DC-PER), chemical scores and water-soluble vitamin content of cowpea seeds germinated at 25°C or 30°C for 24h were determined. Also, the effect of processing steps (heated-air drying, decortication and cooking) on these parameters were examined. Germination had little effect on amino acid profile of cowpeas. In vitro protein digestibility was not improved significantly by germination nor by decortication but was improved by cooking. C-PER and DC-PER ranged from 1.95 to 2.21 and from 1.63 to 1.82, respectively. DC-PER compared well withreported rat PER of cowpea products and seemed more sensitive than C-PER. Based on whole egg values, chemical scores ranged from 37.7 to 45.8% (mean±SD; 42.2±2.4%). Germination increased the contents of niacin, thiamin and riboflavin significantly. Decortication resulted in up to 30% loss in niacin while thiamin content was reduced 41% by cooking.     

Subunit composition of proteins from seeds of Lupinus albus

All the main globulins in the seeds ofLupinus Albus are oligomeric glycoproteins. Legumins (33%) consist of two similar protein molecules which contain protomers linked by disulphide bridges. They result from a partial proteolytic breakdown of an original polypeptide chain. Vicilins (44%) consist of four similar protein molecules with several protomers linked together by non-covalent bonds. Globulin 1 (6%) has a native M.W. of 199 kd and is formed by four 45.0 kd subunits consisting of two smaller protomers (28.0 and 16.0 kd) linked by -S-S- bonds. Globulin 9b (12.5%) has the lowest M.W. (44.0 kd) and is made up of three protomers, two of which are linked by disulphide bonds.     

Predicting Jatropha curcas seed-oil content, oil composition and protein content using near-infrared spectroscopy—A quick and non-destructive method

The potential of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to estimate the oil content, fatty acid composition, and protein content of Jatropha curcas seeds was studied. Seventy-four intact kernels from various sources were scanned by NIRS. All samples were analyzed for oil content (hexane extractions), fatty acid composition (gas chromatography), and protein content (Kjeldahl). Calibration equations were developed for oil content, individual fatty acids (oleic C18:1, linoleic C18:2, stearic C18:0 and palmitic C16:0), and protein content. The performance of the calibration equations was evaluated through external and cross-validation. The results showed that NIRS was a reliable, accurate and nondestructive technique to estimate oil and protein contents, as well as oleic and linoleic fatty acid concentrations in J. curcas kernels; NIRS provides a rapid, simple, and cost-effective alternative method for screening intact J. curcas kernels.     

Protein content and amino acid profile of some wild leguminous seeds

Seeds of 28 wild growing legumes of India were analysed for their protein content and amino acid compositions. A wide variation was observed in protein contents (18.3 to 50.9%). The amino acid composition and protein content of some of these seeds were in close proximity to that of soybean; however, some legumes registered a higher level of certain amino acids and protein as compared to the latter.     

Effects of variety and fertiliser nitrogen on alcohol yield, grain yield, starch and protein content, and protein composition of winter wheat

The effects of nitrogen (N) fertiliser on grain size and shape, starch and protein concentration, vitreosity, storage protein composition, and alcohol yield of two winter wheat varieties contrasting in endosperm texture were studied in a field trial in Herefordshire, UK in 2004. Averaged across varieties, the alcohol yield was 439 L/tonne for grain with a protein concentration of 11.5 g/100 g. The soft endosperm wheat variety Riband produced on average 7.7 L more alcohol per tonne of grain at a given protein concentration than the hard endosperm variety, Option. At the same time, N fertiliser was shown to have significant effects on alcohol production through its major influence on grain protein concentration. Averaged over both varieties, there was a reduction in alcohol yield of 5.7 L for each 10 kg increase in protein content per tonne of grain. The starch concentration of Riband was 2.9 g/100 g higher than Option at a given grain protein concentration, supporting its higher observed alcohol yields. A low conversion of starch to alcohol in this study (6.30 L/10 kg starch) compared to the theoretical value (6.61 L/10 kg starch) indicated that there is potential for improvement of this character. The traits relating to grain size and shape were principally influenced by genotype, and were not influenced by N fertiliser. Conversely, there were only minor genotypic effects on grain protein concentration and vitreosity. An important finding was that there were no interactions between variety and N treatment for any of the variables considered, indicating that the response of the two varieties to changes in applied N was the same, resulting in consistent differences in starch concentration and alcohol yield between genotypes at different levels of grain protein. An analysis of the composition of the wheat storage proteins by size-exclusion chromatography showed that the gliadins increased on average by 0.56 g per g increase in total grain protein and were quantitatively the major protein fraction, suggesting that selection for low gliadin content may be a desirable means by which to reduce grain protein, and thereby increase alcohol yield in wheat. The relationship between alcohol yield per unit area and applied N rate was described by a quadratic function and the maximum alcohol yield per unit area was ca. 3630 L/ha. Statistical analysis suggested that the economic optimum rate of N applied for grain yield was close to the optimum N rate for maximum alcohol productivity.