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Effects of B Vitamins on Protein Utilization from Rice-Legume Dietaries by the Growing Rat¹

Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, India

The rice-legume diets typical of those consumed by a large section of low-income groups in India were prepared to contain 6.8 and 10.2% of protein and fed to rats for 8 weeks.

Although the diets failed to support good growth in weanling rats, growth was appreciable with young adult rats, and was further improved by B-vitamin supplementation. There were significant reductions in plasma levels of histidine, methionine and threonine in the B-vitamin supplemented group. The amino acid analysis of the diets indicated that the 6.8% protein diet was deficient in amino acids other than arginine and valine, whereas the 10.2% protein diet was deficient in methionine, lysine and tryptophan.

Supplementation of the 10.2% protein diet with the deficient amino acids improved the efficiency of protein utilization and additional B vitamins at high or low levels further enhanced the effect. Amino acid supplementation of the diet also resulted in a greater decrease in liver lipids than occurred with the B vitamins.

Incorporating egg albumen at a 2% level resulted in marked gains in weight. The effects of B-vitamin supplementation were more pronounced with the basal diet than with the diet supplemented with egg albumen. These results were discussed in terms of amino acid requirements and amino acid-vitamin relationships.

² Present address: Department of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Bombay, India.

Manuscript received 7 September 1961.