Nutrients content and nutritive value of some germinated and non germinated legumes

The present work aimed at studying proximate composition, amino acid profile, and biological evaluation of nutritive value of cooked germinated and ungerminated chickpea and faba bean. Biological evaluation including body weight gain, total food intake, food efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio and corrected protein efficiency ratio was assessed in rats in comparison to casein diet. In addition, nitrogen content of rat carcass was determined. Results of proximate analysis of legumes showed that percentage protein, fat, fibers, moisture and calories were increased while percentage ash and Carbohydrates were reduced on germination of faba bean. In germinated chick pea, percentage protein, ash and moisture were higher while percentage fat, crude fibers, carbohydrates and calories were lower compared to ungerminated one. Germination of both legumes produced reduction in total essential amino acids. Germination of either legumes produced reduction in aspartic, threonine, leucine, isoleucine and arginine and increase in valine and tyrosine. Concerning the nutritive value; rats of the test groups that fed on germinated faba bean, germinated chickpea and ungerminated chickpea showed significant reduction in body weight gain, food efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio and corrected PER compared to control. Rats fed on ungerminated faba beans showed non significant change in the previous parameters compared to control. The nitrogen contents in rats carcass showed significant reduction in rats fed on ungerminated legumes compared to control fed on casein diet. Nitrogen contents in rat carcass of the group fed on germinated legumes showed non significant change compared to that of control. It could be that the germination of legumes produced increase in %protein and decrease in carbohydrate. Essential amino acids were reduced on germination of legumes. Protein efficiency ratio of germinated faba bean, germinated chickpea and ungerminated chickpea diets were significantly lower than that of casein diet Rat carcass nitrogen of ungemiinated but not germinated legumes was significantly lower than that of casein diet.