Protein quality and energy density of green peas as influenced by seed size and time of harvest
1994
Brunsgaard, G. | Kidmose, U. | Kaack, K. | Eggum, B.O.
Green peas (Pisum sativum L) were harvested at three different time points--3 days apart--and subsequently sorted into four fractions according to seed size (diameter > 10.2 mm; 10.2-8.75 mm; 8.75-8.2 mm and 8.2-6.0 mm). Three varieties from two years were investigated. The study comprised a total of 31 green pea samples. The average protein content of the samples was 276 g kg-1 DM with relatively low variation (SE = 5.7). Protein content was highest in the smallest seeds. The average energy content was 18.6 MJ kg-1 DM. Dietary fibre content was 226 g kg-1 DM, the major part (77%) as insoluble fibre. Seeds of early harvest and seeds with the smallest diameter had the lowest fibre (IDF and TDF) content and at the same time the highest energy digestibility. The average energy digestibility was 83 2%. Protein digestibility was relatively high (average 92.1%), while biological value (BV) and net protein utilisation (NPU) were moderate to low (60.6% and 55.8% respectively) due to low contents of the essential amino acids (g per 16 g N), especially tryptophan, methionine + cystine and lysine. Contents of lysine, tryptophan and methionine + cystine were more than 20% higher in the smallest seeds compared to the larger seeds. Similar differences were observed in seeds of late harvest as compared with seeds of early harvest. Correlation coefficients revealed a strong positive correlation between lysine, tryptophan and methionine + cystine content and the biological value of green pea protein. The three varieties investigated showed no differences in the chemical parameters although small differences in BV and NPU were observed.
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