Amino acid composition of skeletal muscle of domestic buffalo (Bos bubalus L.)—I. Comparative studies and nutritional value of proteins

Abstract

1.1. In a search for new sources of protein, meat from the domestic buffalo—widely bred in southern Italy—has been investigated in order to ascertain the nutritional value of the skeletal muscle proteins. Comparative investigations have been performed on the basis of amino acid composition and essential amino acid content.2.2. It has been shown that the total amino acid content is an inverse function of wilderness conditions, when proteins from domestic buffalo skeletal muscle are compared with those from the domestic ox and African buffalo. The amino acid pattern is, however, very similar in the three species when the relative percentages are compared. Also, the total content of essential amino acids is very similar in the three species.3.3. The lysine content is much higher in the domestic buffalo as compared wlth whoie egg proteins (+ 44%), and also with the domestic ox. The results sugget that domestic buffalo skeletal muscle proteins have an amino acid composition which indicates a high nutritional value for the meat of this animal: its use as a food source is indicated on these data.