Effect of “Non-specific” Nitrogen Intake on Adequacy of Cereal Proteins for Nitrogen Retention in Human Adults

Abstract

The optimal intake of “non-specific” nitrogen for apparent nitrogen retention of human adults when the essential amino acids are provided by intact corn protein was studied. During 5 periods of 10 days each arranged in a double Latin square design, nitrogen balances of 10 adult men fed 6.0 g nitrogen/day from white degerminated corn meal plus 0.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 or 8.0 g nitrogen/day from “non-specific” nitrogen (an isonitrogenous mixture of glycine and diammonium citrate) were determined. Other foods provided 0.68 g nitrogen/day. Average nitrogen balances for all subjects during the last 5 days of each period when total nitrogen intake was 6.68, 8.68, 10.68, 12.68 or 14.68 g day, were -0.33, +0.44, +0.85, +1.32, and +1.22 g nitrogen/day, respectively. The step-by-step increases in nitrogen retention among the first 4 values were statistically significant at the 0.5% level of probability.