Evaluation of Protein Quality of Sprouted, Roasted and Autoclaved Legumes on Albino Rats

Abstract

Mankind still struggles to bring the population food supply equation into balance. The lack of balance of the vital nutritive elements, especially, protein seems to be critical in developing countries. In India where protein malnutrition forms a major public health problem, about 30 per cent of the protein supplies are derived from vegetable sources. Vegetable proteins offer perhaps the only practical means of solving the problem of protein shortage in India for the present. Certain types of processing of legumes have been found to improve protein quality. Information in this line for legumes commonly consumed in India, is inadequate. Hence, this investigation was undertaken to evaluate the protein quality of sprouted, roasted and autoclaved Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum), green gram (Phaseolus aureus) and horse gram (Dolichos biflorus), which are the three commonly consumed legumes of South India.