Comparative analysis of some essential amino acids and available lysine in Acacia colei and A. tumida seeds using chemical methods and an amino acid analyzer.

Methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, and available lysine were determined in Acacia colei and A. tumida seeds and some cereals using chemical methods, and the results were compared to those obtained using an amino acid analyzer. Ba(OH)2 hydrolysis gave the best result of the three methods of hydrolysis (acid, base, and enzyme) tried. Oxidized methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan were not detected, but S-carboxyethylcysteine was estimated as cysteine by the chemical methods, thus overestimating cysteine's content in Acacia seeds. Tryptophan and methionine were higher in cereals than in Acacia seeds, while the level of cysteine and available lysine was higher in Acacia seeds than in cereals. These results agreed with values obtained using the amino acid analyzer and could therefore be used in low budget laboratories.

S-Carboxyethylcysteine (a constituent of Acacia seed) negatively affects casein protein utilization by rats.

OBJECTIVE: Two rat bioassay experiments are reported. The first investigated the first limiting amino acid in Acacia colei and the second experiment investigated the effect of S-carboxyethylcysteine (CEC; a compound present in acacia seed) on protein use. METHODS: In the first experiment, Wistar rats were fed A. colei seed supplemented with three levels of methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4%). In the second experiment, the Wistar rats were fed CEC-incorporated casein diets. RESULTS: Supplementation of A. colei with tryptophan had no significant effect on the protein efficiency ratio, cysteine showed the highest protein efficiency ratio value at the 0.4% level, and the protein efficiency ratio increased significantly with the increase in methionine content, making methionine the first limiting amino acid. The methionine-induced growth rate was suppressed by the incorporation of CEC, which also had a negative effect on the plasma amino acid levels. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that methionine is the first limiting amino acid in A. colei and that CEC could affect the seed's protein use. Acacia colei seed can be used effectively as famine food only if it is complemented with other cereals known to be rich in sulfur amino acids.

Food choice and meal consumption pattern among undergraduate students in two universities in Southwestern Nigeria.

The food choices and meal consumption patterns of undergraduate students from two Nigerian universities, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (OAU) and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAU) (n = 402; 199 male and 203 female; overall mean age 23) were studied. The result indicated that 60% of the students (58% male and 62% female) consumed the recommended minimum number of servings of cereal, 50% of the males and 35% of the females in the carbohydrate category while 35% of the males and 42% of the females consumed enough from the meat group. More female students (40%) consumed adequate quantities of fruits and vegetables than their male counterparts (20%) while the consumption of milk and milk substitutes was low (10% male and 25% female). Most students ate twice a day substituting snacks for the third meal. More female students (48%) exceeded their energy requirement than their male counterparts (28%) while 60%, 85% and 40% did not meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein, calcium and iron respectively. Body Mass Index (BMI) classification indicated that 29% of the students were overweight, 6% were obese while 13% of the male students were underweight. The unhealthy eating habits of Nigerian university students seemed to be a reflection of poor funding.

Traditional and Acacia colei seed-incorporated diets in Maradi, Niger Republic.

A survey of dietary habits of 83 male and 35 female volunteers from rural villages around Maradi, southern Niger, revealed that fura and tuwo were basic staples, the former being consumed up to 21 times weekly and the latter about once daily. Local recipes were modified to incorporate a prospective new food, Acacia colei seed flour, at 0, 15 and 25% (w/w) and the resulting diets fed ad libitum to volunteers for three weeks under controlled conditions. Acacia incorporation at 25% increased the crude protein content of most meals and the per capita crude protein intake to 136 g/day, 56% above the control. Lipid intake was similar in the three trial groups. Dietary fibre intake and per capita energy consumption for the 25% acacia diet was 93% and 18% above the control respectively. Daily vitamin consumption was above RDA from all the diets. The results showed that the supplementation of the traditional foods of the people of Maradi with acacia increased the nutritional value of each food.