The effect of supplements of groundnut flour or groundnut protein isolate fortified with calcium salts and vitamins or of skim milk powder on the digestibility of coefficient, biological value and

The production of milk and other protective foods in many tropical and subtropical
countries is inadequate to meet the needs of the population (FAO, 1959). The diets
consumed in these countries are in general deficient in proteins, certain vitamins and
minerals (FAO, 1959; Jelliffe, 1955). The problem of providing low-cost supplementary
foods based on locally available protein-rich foods of vegetable origin has
recently been engaging the attention of research workers (Subrahmanyan, Narayanarao
& Swaminathan, 1960; Scrimshaw & Bressani, 1961) and also of international
agencies (Autret & van Veen, 1955). Among the promising protein sources are oilseed
meals and legumes. Groundnut meal is available in large quantities as a by-product of
the oil industry in many countries (Altschul, 1958). Joseph, Narayanarao, Swaminathan
& Subrahmanyan (1957) have reported that the incorporation in a poor Indian
rice diet of a processed protein food, based on a 3 : I blend of low-fat groundnut flour
and chick-pea (Cicer arietinum) flour and fortified with calcium salts and vitamins,
caused a significant increase in the retention of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus by
children.
The proteins of groundnut contain less lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan
than milk proteins (Block & Weiss, 1956). No information is available on the comparative
retentions of N on a poor Indian rice diet supplemented with equal amounts
of proteins from groundnut or milk. Therefore the metabolism of N, Ca and P and the
digestibility coefficients and biological value of the proteins and net protein utilization
were studied in children receiving a poor rice diet supplemented with the same
amounts of proteins, Ca and P either from groundnut flour (GF) or groundnut protein
isolate (GPI) fortified with Ca salts and vitamins or from skim-milk powder. The
results of experiments with these diets relating to 5, Ca and P metabolism have
recently been published (Joseph, Tasker, Narayanarao, Sankaran, Swaminathan,
Sreenivasan & Subrahmanyan, 1962). The present paper is concerned with the
digestibility coefficient and biological value of the proteins and net protein utilization.