[Antiphysiological and nutritional factor changes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) seeds during germination]. / Cambios en algunos factores antifisiológicos y nutritivos de las semillas de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) durante la germinación.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of germination on the nutritional quality of two commercial varieties of low tannin content Sorghum: brown sorghum without testa (ICSY-CM89513) and white sorghum (ISIAP Dorado). After 24 hours of germination the condensed tannin concentration (catechin equivalent) was reduced 60% and 40% for brown and white sorghum respectively. However, tannin levels increased up 100% at 96 h germination. Phytic acid concentration decreased about 90% in 96 hours for both varieties. The lysine concentration increased up 110% (72 h germination) and 129% (48 h) for white and brown sorghum respectively. The thiamine, niacin and riboflavin contents increased 73, 200 and 353% respectively for brown sorghum in 72 h and 15, 44 and 93% respectively for white sorghum in 48 h. The "in vitro" enzymatic digestibility was increased 39.3% (72 h) for brown sorghum and 100% for white sorghum. The albumin concentration increased 80% and 74% (72 h) for brown and white sorghum respectively. The Calculated Protein Efficiency Ratio indicated nutritional improvements with germination. The sprouting was a practical and simple process for providing better nutritional properties in sorghum seeds to be used as human food.

[Production of cassava whole meal (N. esculenta Crantz) to prepare a feed for growing chicks. I. Chemical and nutritive characterization of leaves, roots and cassava whole meal]. / Elaboración de una harina integral de yuca (N. esculenta Crantz) para alimentación de pollitos de engorde. I. Caracterización químico-nutrimental de hojas, raíces y harina integral de yuca.

Cassava roots are frequently used as a energy source in feeds. The leaves due to their high fiber content, are not used in animal feeds despite they have a good content of protein and a balanced level of essential amino acids. The purpose of this research was to produce a cassava whole meal (CWF) with low content of fiber for using in chick feed. Leaves and roots of cassava by separated, were dried at 60 degrees C for 20 h, ground in a hammermill and passed through a 60 mesh sieve. By this procedure a root flour (CRF) and a leaves flour were obtained (CLF). The fiber content in CLF was reduced 25.8% and the protein content was increased 8.2%. The CWF was made with 61.2% of CRF and 38.8% of CLF, having a protein and fiber content of 9.15% and 9.73%, respectively. The True Metabolizable Energy of CWF was 2,454 kcal/kg with an average true bioavailability of amino acids of 68.8%.

[Production of cassava whole meal (N. esculenta Crantz) to prepare a feed for growing chicks. II. Evaluation of cassava whole meal in growing chicks]. / Elaboración de una harina integral de yuca (N. esculenta Crantz) para alimentación de pollitos de engorde. II. Evaluación de una harina integral de yuca en pollitos de engorde.

About 50% of the raw materials used for poultry feeds are constituted of sorghum as a energy source. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the nutritional quality of a cassava whole meal (CWF: 61.2% and 38.8% of root and leaf flours, respectively) for growing chicks. The sorghum was partially substituted from a basal diet by 15, 30 and 45% of CWF. Four diets based of sorghum, soybean meal and CWF were formulated. Levels of 0.0, 8.6, 16.4 and 23.7% of CWF were included in the diets. White Vantress chicks (96) were used in the nutritional experiment during 28 days. Each treatment was assayed with 24 chicks. The diet containing 23.7% of CWF showed the lower weight gain and feed efficiency (p < 0.05) as compared with the other diets, and the liver/ bird weight relation increased directly with the increment of CWF.

[Reduction of crude fiber content in safflower meal (Carthamus tinctorius L) and its potential use in human food]. / Reducción del contenido de fibra cruda en pasta de cártamo (Carthamus tinctorius L.) y su posible utilización en la alimentación humana.

The purpose of this work was to reduce the content of crude fibre (CF) and to determine the content of phenolics compounds (PC) and trypsin inhibitors (TI) in safflower meal (SM), in order to recommend the possibility of utilization it in human food. The SM (23.3% of CF, 22.4% of protein and 1.75% of PC was grinded in a blender and in a hammer mill respectively, after that, they were classified in particle size by sieving and compared with the SM and their fractions. Grinding in hammer mill was more effective; in this process the yield of the fine fractions was 60.5% and the contents of protein and PC were concentrated by 46.7% and 50%, respectively. The test of TI in SM resulted negative. Grinding and sieving showed to be an easy and cheap mechanical size separation process to reduce CF, which also increase the protein content with a good yield of material. It should be possible the utilization of the fine fractions in human food, provided that the level of incorporation in a food product will be low.