Effect of supplementation on haemoglobin and serum retinol levels and nutritional status of school children of northern India.

Supplementation study was carried out in 66 children of 10-12 years of age for a period of about 4 months. On the basis of blood analysis, 33 children were taken as deficient having low level of both Hb (<10 g/dl) and serum retinol (< 20 microg/dl). Similar number of children (33) were selected as control purposively who had Hb > 10 g/dl and serum retinol > 20 microg/dl. Average daily consumption of cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products, fats and oils, and sugar and jaggery was below the recommended dietary intake in control as well as deficient subjects, however, control children consumed more when compared to deficient children. Among nutrients the daily mean intake of energy, protein, iron, n-carotene and vitamin C were found lower than RDA in deficient subjects as compared to control subjects. Feeding of 100 g/day of cauliflower leaves powder supplements i.e. biscuits and shakarpara improved the Hb, serum retinol, height, weight and nutritional status in deficient subjects. The increase in Hb, serum retinol, weight and height in supplemented group was 14.61, 33.27, 4.48 and 7.06%, respectively. Initially, 27.27% children had normal nutritional status in deficient group, but after supplementation this value was increased to 42.42%. Higher percentage of children having deficiency signs of vitamin A (6.06%), iron (66.67%), B-complex vitamin (9.09%), and symptoms of protein-energy-malnutrition (72.73%) was observed in deficient subjects as compared to control subjects.

Amino acid composition and biological evaluation of the protein quality of high lysine barley genotypes.

The protein quality of high lysine barley genotypes Notch1 Notch2, Riso-1508 and Hiproly grown in Indian soil was evaluated by determining amino acid composition and also by rat growth and nitrogen balance studies. Protein and fat contents were found to be highest in Riso-1508. Lysine concentration (5.26 g/16g N) of Riso-1508 was also highest compared to the other high lysine genotypes. Rat feeding trials indicated that the growth promoting qualities of the proteins of genotype Riso-1508 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the low lysine barley genotype. The comparatively low lysine barley diet had more digestible protein than the high lysine barley diet. However, the BV and NPU of the high lysine barley were significantly (p < 0.05) higher. This improvement is of importance in meeting the essential amino acid requirements of man as well as other monogastric animals. The study showed that the high lysine barley harvested in Indian agroclimatic conditions retained high lysine quality.

Chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of some hull less and hulled barley cultivars grown in India.

Three hull less and nine hulled barley cultivars were grown during 1995-96 at Research Farm, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India and were used for chemical analysis such as nutritional and antinutritional parameters. Dolma, a hull less barley cultivar had higher contents of protein, fat, starch, in vitro digestibility of protein and starch, in vitro availability of Ca, Fe and Zn. Hulled cultivar BH-331 showed higher values of phytic acid (925 mg/100 g), polyphenols (625 mg/100 g) and amylase inhibitor activity (169 AIU) which might have contributed towards poor in vitro digestibility of Ca, Fe and Zn. Phytic acid and polyphenols manifested significantly negative correlation with in vitro availability of Ca, Fe and Zn and protein digestibility. Whereas amylase inhibitor activity showed significant and negative correlation (-0.992) only with starch digestibility.

Nutritional status of rural pre-school children of Haryana state.

The present investigation was conducted on 90 rural pre-school children (1-3 years) in summer and winter from arid (Bhiwani), semi-arid (Hisar) and wet (Kurukshetra) zones of Haryana State, India. Mean daily food intake of cereals, pulses, green leaf vegetables, other vegetables, roots and tubers, milk products, fats and oils, sugar and jaggery and fruits was found lower than their respective recommended dietary intake (RDI) in summer season whereas in winter season mean daily food intake of milk and milk products provided 6, 7, and 32 per cent more than RDI in the diets of pre-schoolers of Hisar, Bhiwani and Kurukshetra zones, respectively, Similar trend was also found in nutrient intakes. Mean height and weight of few children were found lower in Hisar and Bhiwani and higher in Kurukshetra compared to their reference values. On the basis of weight for age and height for age criteria as well as clinical examinations, majority of children were found normal in Kurukshetra.

Amino acid composition and chemical evaluation of protein quality of cereals as affected by insect infestation.

A significant decrease in essential amino acids of wheat, maize and sorghum was observed due to grain infestation caused by mixed populations of Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius (50:50). Non-essential amino acids were also adversely affected. Among the essential amino acids, maximum reduction was found in methionine, isoleucine and lysine in infested wheat, maize and sorghum grains, respectively. Lysine, with lowest chemical score in uninfested and infested grains of three cereals, is the first limiting amino acid. Insect infestation caused significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the chemical score of all the essential amino acids, yet did not change the position of first and second limiting amino acids in wheat and sorghum. However, in case of maize, isoleucine became the second limiting amino acid. Infested grains also showed substantial reduction in essential amino acid index, calculated biological value and requirement index.

Vitamin contents of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation.

There were substantial losses in thiamine, riboflavin and niacin contents of wheat, maize and sorghum grains at three infestation levels (25, 50 and 75%) caused by releasing two insect species viz., Trogoderma granarium and Rhizopertha dominica separately and mixed population. Losses were to the extent of 65 to 69% (thiamine), 50 to 67% (riboflavin) and 10 to 32% (niacin) due to T. granarium and 23 to 29% (thiamine), 13 to 18% (riboflavin) and 4 to 14% (niacin) due to R. dominica at 75% level of infestation in three cereal grains. Storage of grains (1-4 months) in insect free conditions did not show appreciable changes in the vitamin contents.

Biological evaluation of protein quality of sorghum as affected by insect infestation.

Protein quality of sorghum grains having 25, 50 and 75% infestation caused by mixed population of Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius was biologically evaluated by rat growth and nitrogen balance studies. Feeding of diet containing insect infested sorghum grains (50 and 75%) resulted in marked decrease in food intake, protein intake, gain in body weight, food efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio, nitrogen consumption, nitrogen absorption, biological value, net protein utilization, dry matter digestibility, net protein retention and protein retention efficiency. These parameters showed negative association with insect infestation levels. However, 25% level of grain infestation did not affect these parameters significantly.

Biological evaluation of protein quality of sorghum as affected by insect infestation

Protein quality of sorghum grains having 25, 50 and 75 percent infestation caused by mixed population of Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius was biologically evaluated by rat growth and nitrogen balance studies. Feeding of diet containing insect infested sorghum grains (50 and 75 percent) resulted in marked decrease in food intake, protein intake, gain in body weight, food efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio, nitrogen consumption, nitrogen absorption, biological value, net protein utilization, dry matter digestibility, net protein retention and protein retention efficiency. These parameters showed negative association with insect infestation levels. However, 25 percent level of grain infestation did not affect these parameters significantly (AU)

Available carbohydrates of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation.

Total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and starch contents of wheat, maize and sorghum grains were affected adversely at 25, 50 and 75% insect infestation caused by Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius, separately and mixed population. R. dominica caused significant (P < 0.05) reduction in available carbohydrates at 50 and 75% infestation levels whereas T. granarium achieved similar effect at 75%. Mixture of both insect species caused intermediate losses. Storage of cereal grains up to 4 months resulted in substantial increase in sugars and decrease in starch content, but storage for a shorter period of time did not cause any significant changes in levels of carbohydrates.

Available carbohydrates of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation

Total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and starch contents of wheat, maize and sorghum grains were affected adversely at 25, 50 and 75 percent insect infestation caused by Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius, separately and mixed population. R. dominica caused significant (P < 0.05) reduction in available carbohydrates at 50 and 75 percent. Mixture of both insect species caused intermediate losses. Storage of cereal grains up to 4 months resulted in substantial increase in sugars and decrease in starch content, but storage for a shorter period of time did not cause any significant changes in levels of carbohydrates (Summary)

Protein digestibility (in vitro) of chickpea and blackgram seeds as affected by domestic processing and cooking.

Protein digestibility (in vitro) of grains of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and blackgram (Vigna mungo) cultivars varied from 48 to 53% and 52 to 58%, respectively. Soaking, cooking (both of unsoaked and soaked seeds), autoclaving and sprouting improved significantly the protein digestibility of all the cultivars of chickpea and blackgram. Autoclaving was found to be most effective followed by cooking and sprouting; cooking of sprouts had only marginal effect. Protein digestibility was higher when soaked instead of unsoaked grains were cooked.