Department of Chemistry, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nigeria
Aremu, M.O., Department of Chemistry, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nigeria; Alade, P., Department of Chemistry, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nigeria; Nweze, C.C., Department of Biochemistry, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nigeria
A study was conducted to determine the suitability of six different spices (pepper, garlic, ginger, onion, curry leaf and tomatoes) with a view to appraising their nutritive values. For this purpose, crude protein and amino acid composition were determined using standard analytical techniques. The result gave crude protein content in percentage as; pepper (20.11), garlic (19.94), ginger (11.43), onion (10.36), curry leaf (25.67) and tomatoes (19.83). The Total Amino Acid (TAA) of pepper, garlic, ginger, onion, curry leaf and tomatoes were: 48.40, 66.25, 39.21, 40.21, 78.08 and 40.30 g/100g crude protein, respectively. The order of calculated isoelectric point (pI) was curry leaf > garlic > pepper > onion = tomatoes > ginger while that of Predicted Protein Efficiency Ratio (P-PER) was garlic > curry leaf > ginger > pepper > onion > tomatoes. The contents of Essential Amino Acid (EAA) in all the spice samples are generally lower than FAO/WHO recommended values except curry leaf which had a balance content of all the EAAs and garlic that was adequate only in Leu and Phe + Tyr based on FAO/WHO provisional pattern. So curry leaf is considered to be a valuable protein source for the human diet. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2011.
amino acid; leucine; phenylalanine; tyrosine; vegetable protein; amino acid analysis; amino acid composition; article; controlled study; food quality; garlic; ginger; isoelectric point; Murraya koenigii; Nigeria; nonhuman; nutritional value; onion; pepper; prediction; protein content; protein diet; tomato