Insensitivity of the amino acids of canola and rapeseed to methanol-ammonia extraction and commercial processing

Abstract

Amino acid composition of rapeseed meals treated with ammonia in absolute or 95% methanol was compared to those of their hexane-extracted counterparts as well as a commercially processed meal. Meals of Altex canola, Midas rapeseed, and Hu You 9 Chinese rapeseed were used. Few differences were found in the essential amino acid contents due to these treatments. Partial extraction of non-protein nitrogen compounds may be responsible for the observed differences. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) values of meals, calculated on the basis of the content of selected amino acids, varied from 1.7 to 2.4, depending on the seed variety. The processing conditions did not affect the calculated PER values to any great extent.