Free Amino Acids, Including Canavanine, in the Seeds from 24 Wild Mediterranean Legumes
2016
Megias, Cristina | Cortés-Giraldo, Isabel | Giron-Calle, Julio | Alaiz, Manuel | Vioque, Javier
Seeds with a high concentration of specific free amino acids may represent a green alternative to industrial scale fermentation as sources of specific amino acids. Legume seeds are particularly rich in free amino acids. In order to explore this possibility, the free amino acid composition of the seeds from 24 wild Mediterranean legumes collected in southern Spain has been determined. These species represent fourteen genera belonging to tribes Galegeae, Loteae and Trifolieae. Free amino acid concentrations went from 0.21 g/100 g flour in Scorpiurus sulcatus to 1.89 g/100 g flour in Anthyllis vulneraria and Medicago polymorpha. The non proteinogenic amino acid canavanine, plus arginine, asparagine and aspartic acid were the most abundant amino acids. The highest content in canavanine, 1.26 g/100 g flour, equivalent to 66% (w/w) total free amino acids, was found in the seeds from Anthyllis vulneraria. Our results show that the seeds from several of the wild legumes included in this study represent a potential source of canavanine, arginine, asparagine and aspartic acid.
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