ALL-VEGETABLE PROTEIN MIXTURES FOR HUMAN FEEDING. XII. BIOCHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS ON RATS FED INCAP VEGETABLE MIXTURE 9 AND ANIMAL PROTEINS.

Abstract

Biological tests were carried out to study the effect of INCAP (Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama) Vegetable Mixture 9, casein, and skim milk on the carcass, liver, blood, and bone composition of rats. At low levels of protein intake body and liver fat levels were higher in the animals fed the vegetable mixture. Higher values for total serum protein, albumin, globulin, and urea nitrogen concentration were obtained with skim milk, but the albumin/globulin ratio and the red and white blood cell count were similar for both protein foods. The fresh weights of the femur and tibia were found to be significantly lower for the rats fed Vegetable Mixture 9, while bone moisture and fat were significantly higher. Likewise, the percentages of ash, calcium, and phosphorus were also significantly lower in the animals fed the vegetable mixture.At higher levels of protein intake, carcass and liver fat were again higher for the animals fed the vegetable mixture. The blood analyses revealed no differences between the two proteins tested, except for a higher urea content in the animals fed skim milk.The differences in carcass, liver, and bone composition between animals fed the vegetable mixture and the animal proteins were probably due to minor essential amino acid deficiencies in the mixture, since supplementation with lysine, threonine, and methionine resulted in similar chemical composition values. Higher protein levels of intake also decreased the differences in carcass, liver, and bone composition of rats fed INCAP Vegetable Mixture 9, casein, or skim milk.