Journal of Nutrition Vol. 26 No. 4 October 1943, pp. 327-335
Copyright
Field Peas as a Source of Protein for Growth1
Ella Woods,
W. M. Beeson and
Donald W. Bolin
Departments of Home Economics, Animal Husbandry and Chemistry, Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow
- 1. Raw and heated Alaska field peas (Pisum sativum) have been studied as the sole source of protein in diets for growing rats.
- 2. The principal growth-limiting deficiency in raw pea protein is methionine.
- 3. Baking and autoclaving field peas decreased the growthpromoting properties of the protein but did not change the food intake.
- 4. The addition of cystine to the autoclaved peas permitted a rate of growth comparable to that with raw peas.
- 5. Rats fed raw pea protein (10% level) plus 0.3 methionine as the sole source of protein made 47% more gain and required 25% less food per unit gain, than rats fed casein at a 10% protein level.
- 6. Apparently the Alaska field pea is an excellent source of the amino acids essential for growth, with the single exception of methionine.
1 Published with the approval of the Director as research paper no. 213 of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station.
Manuscript received 15 February 1943.