Supplementary relations between the proteins of cowpea (Vigna sinensis) ragi and jowar.

Ragi, jowar and cowpeas were analysed for lysine, threonine, sulphur amino acids
and tryptophan by microbiological assays and their chemical scores calculated according
to egg protein as well as FAO reference pattern (1973) for children. Ragi and jowar
were found to have chemical scores of 50 and 48 according to the former and 59 and 59
according to the latter. The corresponding values for cowpeas were 33 and 51. The
PER values of ragi and jowar proteins at 6% level were 1.29 and 2.05 respectively and
increased to 2.14 and 2.84 when the two proteins were mixed in the ratio of 3 : 1 and 1 : 1
respectively. The PER values of jowar and cowpea proteins fed at the 10% level were
1.09 and 2.18 respectively and increased to 1.79 and 2.16 when the proteins were mixed in
the ratio of 3 : 1 and 1 : 1. The results suggest no correlation between chemical score
and PER possibly because of methionine requirements being exaggerated according to either
pattern.