Nutritive Value of Canned Foods XLII. A Study of the Protein Value of Young and Mature Peas (Pisum Sativum)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effects of canning on the biological value for young growing rats of the protein in peas have been investigated. Comparison of the biological value of protein in immature and nearly mature peas has also been made. It appears that canning does not decrease the biological value of nearly mature peas, while it enhances that of immature peas. The results of other workers with respect to the detrimental effects of canning on the biological value of pea protein, cited in the introduction to this paper, could not be confirmed. Investigations concerning the cause of the poor biological value of immature raw peas suggest that hydrolysis of the protein and subsequent deamination of its amino acids occur through enzymatic action when the peas are moistened. Canning destroys the enzyme activity. The possibility is discussed that reactions during the drying process between the sugar in the raw peas and the amino acids freed by proteolysis contribute to the decrease in the biological value of the raw peas for the rat. A complete analysis of immature and nearly mature raw peas and immature and nearly mature canned peas for essential amino acid content has been presented.