RESUMO
Vulnerable populations in developing countries need new protein sources, such as protein concentrates from accessible sources at low economic costs. The main objective of this study was at evaluating the nutritional quality of the protein concentrate of the legume mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), compared with the protein values of other legumes described in literature. For this purpose, flour and protein concentrates from mesquite were obtained, along with their chemical composition. Amino acid profiling was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Protein quality index evaluation tests were also performed on preschool children and adults. The protein content of mesquite was found to be 68%. However, mesquite covers the requirements of essential amino acids, surpassing 31% of the protein required in adults, except for cysteine sulfur amino acids and aromatic amino acids. In other age groups such as children, mesquite had a high content of histidine, which is necessary and considered essential during infant development. According to the above, mesquite could be used as an alternative protein to produce food with high nutritional content.
