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ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID CONTENT OF SOME SELECTED NIGERIAN MEALS
Author(s) -
UBANI U. G. I.,
WILLIAMS C. S.,
CHUNG R. A.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1980.tb06555.x
Subject(s) - essential amino acid , meal , food science , methionine , livestock , population , protein quality , biology , amino acid , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental health , medicine , biochemistry , ecology
Protein deficiency is a major nutritional problem in Nigeria. Low Per capita income, adverse environment, and livestock diseases make it difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of high quality protein. Several selected food items common to Southern Nigeria were analyzed for essential ammo acids content. When these food items were grouped into a typical meal pattern for 1 wk, methionine was inadequate in breakfast; however, it was found that the average essential ammo acid intakes per day were adequate. With proper meal combinations and supplementations, it would be possible to improve dietary intakes of essential amino acids in Nigeria by utilizing common foods available and acceptable to the population.