Abundant Non-essential Amino Acid Research Articles

Comparative Analyses of the Nutritional and Antinutritional Composition of Pod Flours from Neltuma spp. (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae) Species from Drylands of Mexico, Kenya and Tanzania

Identifying novel risk-resilient diets is urgent to address food insecurity and tackle global hunger and malnutrition. This study evaluated the suitability of mesquite (Neltuma spp.) pod flours as food staples for human nourishment and compared nutritional properties of mesquites growing natively or as introduced species in the drylands of Mexico, Kenya and Tanzania. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, we analysed chemical composition, dietary fibre, antinutrients, amino acids and fatty acids of pod flours from Neltuma laevigata, N. laevigata×N. odorata andN. velutina (abundant native species of Northern Mexico). We also studied the introduced N. juliflora from Kenya, and N. pallida from Tanzania which have become invasive. This research demonstrates that mesquite flour contains all the essential amino acids, with the highest being valine, leucine and lysine. The most abundant non-essential amino acids are aspartate, glutamate and proline. Mesquite flours are rich in palmitic, oleic and linolenic acids. Besides this, mesquite flour is abundant in phenols and contains less gallic and phytic acids than wheat. We show that nutritionally, mesquite flours are comparable to wheat flour. These findings demonstrate that Neltuma pod flours are excellent candidates to reduce malnutrition and hunger for the poorest people of the world.

Nonessential amino acids in tropical ruminant feed: Investigating grass and legume forages of Indonesia.

This study aimed to examine the concentration of nonessential amino acids (NEAAs) in ruminant feed in tropical areas, with a focus on forage grasses and legumes in Indonesia. A total of 11 grasses (Chrysopogon zizanioides, Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria humidicola, Paspalum dilatatum, Paspalum atatum, Chloris gayana, Pennisetum polystachion, Panicum maximum, Cenchrus biflorus, Andropogon canaliculatus, and Digotaria decumbens) and six legumes (Arachis hypogaea, Pueararia Javanica, Centrosema pubescens, Clitoria ternatea, and Arachis pintoi) were analyzed for NEAA content using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on the results of this research, it was found that almost all NEAA content in forage was less than 3% (Serine (Ser), Alanine (Ala), Glycine (Gly), Tyrosine (Tyr), Proline (Pro), Cysteine (Cys), and Asparagine (Asn), except for glutamic (Glu) acid and arginine (Arg) in some legumes. The Glu content in grass ranges from 0.76% to 2.61%, and the Arg content ranges from 0.92% to 2.09%. These two NEAAs were most abundant in grasses and legumes, with concentrations of 5.10% to 6.27% and 3.10% to 5.53%, respectively. Our study concluded that Glu and Arg were the most abundant NEAAs in tropical forages in Indonesia, with legumes having a higher concentration of NEAAs compared to grasses. Among the legumes, A. hypogaea had the highest NEAA content (23.40%), while among the forages, C. zizanioides had the highest NEAA content (12.37%). However, it was observed that neither legumes nor grasses could fulfill the metabolizable TNEAAs requirements for gaining cattle (250 kg of empty body weight gain), unlike commercial concentrates, which were found to meet the requirements, especially for Arg, Glu, and thyronine. The provision of concentrate is necessary to supplement forage to meet the NEAA needs for cattle.

Bee products as valuable nutritional ingredients: Determination of broad free amino acid profiles in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis

This study compared the amino acid content of three bee products: royal jelly, propolis, and bee pollen, which is a step toward improving the quality of nutrition and the safety of supplementation with these beneficial products of natural origin. The samples were collected from the hives of Apis mellifera bees in the apiaries located in Poland. A broad panel of free amino acids in bee products was determined using the highly selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. We quantified 32 amino acids in bee pollen, 31 in royal jelly, and 28 in propolis. The most abundant essential amino acid in bee products was histidine in bee pollen (1.5 mg/g), lysine in royal jelly (2.05 mg/g) and valine in propolis (0.006 mg/g). Proline was the most abundant non-essential amino acid in all bee products and accounted for 6.7 mg/g; 1.4 mg/g; and 0.3 mg/g, in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis, respectively. Among the non-proteinogenic amino acids, γ-amino-n-butyric acid was quantified in the highest concentrations in bee pollen (1.05 mg/g). Our study proved that bee products are characterized by specific profiles of free amino acids. In terms of protein and non-protein amino acid content, bee pollen is the most valuable bee product.

Abstract 13835: Glutaminolysis Boosts Cardiac Performance Under High Workload via Enhancement of Mitochondrial GSH

Introduction: Glutamine, the most abundant non-essential amino acids in circulation, serves as an important energy source in proliferating cells. Previous evidence has indicated that glutamine is not a primary carbon source for the tricarboxylic acid cycle in cardiomyocytes under physiological workload. However, current clinical studies reveal that impaired glutaminolysis is associated with heart failure and an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that impaired glutaminolysis would compromise cardiac function, especially under conditions of increased workload. Methods: We analyzed cardiac structure and function in a mouse model with cardiac-specific knockdown of glutaminase (GLS), a key enzyme of glutaminolysis. Cardiac reserve was assessed by isoproterenol stress echocardiography. We performed transcriptomic, 13 C isotopic labeling, and reactive oxygen species emission analyses to investigate the underlying mechanism. Results: GLS deficiency impaired cardiac reserve and exercise capacity in mice, but had no discernible effects on cardiac structure or function under baseline condition. Inhibition of glutaminolysis in pressure-overloaded hearts further exacerbated cardiac dysfunction, indicating the critical role of glutaminolysis in cardiomyocytes under high workload. Mechanistically, glutaminolysis maintained cardiomyocyte function by balancing intracellular redox status through the production of glutathione (GSH), particularly in mitochondria. Inhibition of glutaminolysis decreased both cytosolic and mitochondrial GSH levels, resulting in compromised cell contraction in isolated cardiomyocytes under high workload. Additionally, heterologous expression of an engineered mitochondrial GSH biosynthetic enzyme increased mitochondrial GSH levels and enhanced cardiac reserve in GLS knockout mice. Conclusions: Our findings establish the previously unrecognized role of glutaminolysis in cardiomyocytes, maintaining cardiac reserve via upregulating mitochondrial GSH levels. This suggests that targeting glutaminolysis is a potential strategy for improving cardiac reserve and managing cardiac diseases.

Glutamate alliviate the intestinal damage caused by chemotherapeutic agents

Background & Aim: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a type of anticancer drug, induces enteritis with diarrhea in high frequency and significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. Though inhibition of cell growth, induction of apoptosis, and changes in the intestinal microflora have been reported in the pathogenesis of 5-FU-induced enteritis, efficient treatment and prevention have not yet been established. In recently years, the usefulness of amino acids for various gastrointestinal disorders has been reported. Glutamate is the most abundant nonessential amino acid in the diet and is involved in the regulation and maintenance of function of gastrointestinal tract. The purpose of this study is to examine the protective effect of glutamate against 5-FU-induced small intestinal inflammation and to propose new targets for prevention and treatment. Materials & Methods: Intestinal mucositis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by repeated administration of 5-FU (50 mg/kg, i.p.) for 6 days. glutamate was administered twice daily for 7 days prior to the start of 5-FU administration, and body weight and fecal status were measured daily during 5-FU administration. Twenty-four hours after the last dose of 5-FU, ileal tissue was removed for histological and immunohistological evaluation. The epithelial barrier function was also examined by using 4kDa FITC-labeled dextran (FD-4). Rat intestinal cell line (IEC-6) was also used to measure the epithelial barrier function. To analyze the factors that were involved in mucositis by 5-FU, Western blotting were performed. Results: Continuous administration of 5-FU was observed to cause weight loss and exacerbation of diarrhea. Administration of 5-FU shortened the villi, decreased the number of proliferative cells, induced apoptotic cells around the crypts, and reduced intestinal barrier function. Glutamate showed a protective effect against 5-FU-induced diarrhea, shortening of small intestinal villi, inhibition of proliferating cells and induction of apoptosis. The translocation of FD-4 into the blood was significantly increased by 5-FU, while glutamate had no significant effect. However, it clearly reduced FD-4 infiltration into ileal tissue. The effect of glutamate was associated with epithelial barrier function and the pretreatment of glutamate significantly recovered the decrease of epithelial electrical resistance by 5-FU. Moreover, glutamate inhibited the decrease of the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3) by 5-FU. Conclusion: We conclude that glutamate prevents 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis. It is suggested that glutamate improves epithelial damages caused by 5-FU through enhancing glutamate uptake and improves intestinal morphology and functions. Thus, glutamate may be helpful for preventing and treating intestinal mucositis during cancer chemotherapy. University This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Role and therapeutic targeting of glutamine metabolism in non‑small cell lung cancer (Review).

The Warburg effect indicates that cancer cells survive through glycolysis under aerobic conditions; as such, the topic of cancer metabolism has aroused interest. It is requisite to further explore cancer metabolism, as it helps to simultaneously explain the process of carcinogenesis and guide therapy. The flexible metabolism of cancer cells, which is the result of metabolic reprogramming, can meet the basic needs of cells, even in a nutrition-deficient environment. Glutamine is the most abundant non-essential amino acid in the circulation, and along with glucose, comprise the two basic nutrients of cancer cell metabolism. Glutamine is crucial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and serves an important role in supporting cell growth, activating signal transduction and maintaining redox homeostasis. In this perspective, the present review aims to provide a new therapeutic strategy of NSCLC through inhibiting the metabolism of glutamine. This review not only summarizes the significance of glutamine metabolism in NSCLC cells, but also enumerates traditional glutamine inhibitors along with new targets. It also puts forward the concept of combination therapy and patient stratification with the aim of comprehensively showing the effect and prospect of targeted glutamine metabolism in NSCLC therapy. This review was completed by searching for keywords including 'glutamine', 'NSCLC' and 'therapy' on PubMed, and screening out articles.

Rethinking glutamine metabolism and the regulation of glutamine addiction by oncogenes in cancer.

Glutamine, the most abundant non-essential amino acid in human blood, is crucial for cancer cell growth and cancer progression. Glutamine mainly functions as a carbon and nitrogen source for biosynthesis, energy metabolism, and redox homeostasis maintenance in cancer cells. Dysregulated glutamine metabolism is a notable metabolic characteristic of cancer cells. Some carcinogen-driven cancers exhibit a marked dependence on glutamine, also known as glutamine addiction, which has rendered the glutamine metabolic pathway a breakpoint in cancer therapeutics. However, some cancer cells can adapt to the glutamine unavailability by reprogramming metabolism, thus limiting the success of this therapeutic approach. Given the complexity of metabolic networks and the limited impact of inhibiting glutamine metabolism alone, the combination of glutamine metabolism inhibition and other therapeutic methods may outperform corresponding monotherapies in the treatment of cancers. This review summarizes the uptake, transport, and metabolic characteristics of glutamine, as well as the regulation of glutamine dependence by some important oncogenes in various cancers to emphasize the therapeutic potential of targeting glutamine metabolism. Furthermore, we discuss a glutamine metabolic pathway, the glutaminase II pathway, that has been substantially overlooked. Finally, we discuss the applicability of polytherapeutic strategies targeting glutamine metabolism to provide a new perspective on cancer therapeutics.

AMINO ACIDS PROFILE AND BENEFICIAL METALS COMPOSITION OF SOME SELECTEDSPECIES OF SEAFOOD FROM SOMBREIRORIVER IN IDAMA, RIVERS STATE.

Seafood has been used widely as a vital source of animal protein and other beneficial metals.This study was designed to profile the amino acid and beneficial metal contents of Whelk (Buccinum undatum), Crab (Callinectes sapidus), Periwinkle (Littorina littorea), and Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) from Sombreiro River in Idama of Rivers State. Crude protein, amino acids, and metal contents of the seafood were determined using standard methods. Also, the leucine/isoleucine/valine, sodium/potassium, sodium/magnesium, and potassium/sodium ratios were determined. Data were statistically analysed with ANOVA. Results for the total proteins showed that Crab had the highest crude protein content of 25.17 ± 0.01 % while Whelk and Periwinkle had the lowest total crude contents respectively. All four shellfishes contained 9 essential amino acids required by most biological systems and 9 non-essential amino acids. Histidine, lysine, methionine, and phenylalanine were the most abundant nutritionally essential amino acids while glutamic and aspartic acids were the most abundant non-essential amino acids. It was revealed that Oyster had the highest percentage of total essential amino acids and Whelk had the highest percentage of total non-essential amino acids. The leucine/isoleucine/valine ratios showed that Periwinkle and Crab had a ratio of 1.0:1.0:1.0 each while Whelk and Oyster had 2.0:2.0:1.0 and 4.0:3.0:1.0. Also, potassium and magnesium were the most abundant metals. All the metals analysed and the mineral ratios calculated were below the internationally acceptable limits. These results, therefore, revealed that the seafood analysed was of high nutritive values which might be useful in clinical nutrition and counselling.

Growth performance and nutrient composition of black soldier fly larvae reared on solid-state fermentation substrates with various white rot fungi

Abstract. Fitriana EL, Jayanegara A, Astuti DA, Laconi EB. 2022. Growth performance and nutrient composition of black soldier fly larvae reared on solid-state fermentation substrates with various white rot fungi. Biodiversitas 23: 4894-4905. This study examines agricultural byproducts fermented with various rot fungi as a substrate of black soldier fly larvae. The experiment used a three-way randomized design with four replications. The first factor was substrate (cacao pod husk and oil palm frond), the second factor was fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, and Pleurotus sajor-caju), and the third factor was environment condition (light and without light). Approximately 1200 of 7-day-old larvae were added to 600 g substrate treatment. The results showed that the solid-state fermentation substrates had the highest waste reduction parameters and level of consumption. Larvae in the experiment had a crude protein level of 38.84-58.88% of dry matter. Glutamic acid is the most abundant non-essential amino acid in larvae, while leucine is the most abundant essential amino acid. Solid-state fermentation substrate could improve the fatty acid profile quality of larvae in relation to high linoleic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, and unsaturated fatty acid percentages, especially CPH-pc substrate. The use of solid-state fermentation in larvae rearing decreased lignin in the cacao pod husk substrate. In conclusion, cacao pod husk substrate solid-state fermented with white rot fungi is not supported the optimum growth performance of BSFL but increases fatty acid profile quality.

Mineral and amino profile of crab (Sudanonaonautes aubryi)

Mineral and amino acid profile of crab Sudanonautes aubryi was studied. Samples were collected for mineral and amino acid analysis of the crab shell and meat. It was observed that Mg with daily intake of minerals (DIM) 0.4685 will be supplied to the body at most if the shell is consumed and K with DIM 0.41 will be supplied to the body at most if the meat is consumed. Glutamic acid was the most abundant non-essential amino acid (NEAA), while valine and histidine were the dominant EAA for shell and meat respectively. The amino acid profile of crab meat is higher than that of shell, while the shell has a higher chemical score (95) than the meat (89.77). The paper concluded that consumption of crab meat and shell should be recommended for various malnourished patients depending on their specific conditions.

Loss of vascular endothelial glutaminase inhibits tumor growth and metastasis, and increases sensitivity to chemotherapy.

Glutamine is the most abundant non-essential amino acid in blood stream; yet it's concentration in tumor interstitium is markedly lower than that in the serum, reflecting the huge demand of various cell types in tumor microenvironment for glutamine. While many studies have investigated glutamine metabolism in tumor epithelium and infiltrating immune cells, the role of glutamine metabolism in tumor blood vessels remains unknown. Here, we report that inducible genetic deletion of glutaminase (GLS) specifically in host endothelium, GLSECKO, impairs tumor growth and metastatic dissemination in vivo. Loss of GLS decreased tumor microvascular density, increased perivascular support cell coverage, improved perfusion, and reduced hypoxia in mammary tumors. Importantly, chemotherapeutic drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy were improved in tumor-bearing GLSECKO hosts or in combination with GLS inhibitor, CB839. Mechanistically, loss of GLS in tumor endothelium resulted in decreased leptin levels, and exogenous recombinant leptin rescued tumor growth defects in GLSECKO mice. Together, these data demonstrate that inhibition of endothelial glutamine metabolism normalizes tumor vessels, reducing tumor growth and metastatic spread, improving perfusion, and reducing hypoxia, and enhancing chemotherapeutic delivery. Thus, targeting glutamine metabolism in host vasculature may improve clinical outcome in patients with solid tumors.

Performance of defatted black soldier fly pre-pupae meal as fishmeal replacement in the diet of lemon fin barb hybrid fingerlings

This study was conducted to determine the optimal level of defatted black soldier fly pre-pupae (BSFP), Hermetia illucens as a fishmeal replacement in lemon fin barb hybrid diet. Triplicate groups of fish (1.52 ± 0.01 g) were fed twice a day until apparent satiation with five iso-nitrogenous (30 %) and isocaloric (17 kJ g−1) diets containing varying BSFP levels ranging from 0 to 100 % for 8 weeks. No mortality was found during this study. BSFP level used in the diets were significantly affected the growth response of the barb hybrid. The growth performance of fish such as body weight gain and specific growth rate improved up to 75 % BSFP and decreased above this level, while feed conversion ratio and daily feed intake were not affected by BSFP levels. Body protein and lipid contents of the barb hybrid were significantly affected by dietary replacement levels. The protein retention decreased and lipid retention increased when the BSFP level increased, while the carbohydrate retention was extremely low. The most abundant of essential amino acids in the whole body of lemon fin barb hybrid was valine while glutamic acid was the abundant non-essential amino acids. No pathological changes were observed among all dietary fed groups. The present study suggested that fishmeal could be replaced up to 75 % or 2.5 % fishmeal was still required in the lemon fin barb hybrid diet.

Development and nutritional evaluation of a complementary diet from fermented provitamin-a-biofortified maize (Zea mays L.) and germinated lentil seeds (Lens culinaris)

Breast milk often becomes insufficient to meet the nutritional needs of infants from 6 months onwards, and thus there is a need to introduce complementary diets. This study aimed at formulating complementary diets by combining fermented provitamin A biofortified maize flour with germinated lentil flour in ratios of 100%, 90:10%, 80:20% and 70:30%. They were evaluated for proximate composition, functional properties, mineral composition, carotenoid content, anti-nutrient content, amino acid profile and organoleptic properties. The protein contents ranged from 10.65 to 28.17%, 100%; germinated lentil flour (O6R) had the highest value, while the energy values of the diets ranged from 395.62 to 404.13 Kcal/100 g. The foaming capacity, foaming stability, water absorption capacity and bulk density increased, while the oil absorption capacity and dispersibility decreased as the lentils increased. The swelling capacity ranged from 39.92 to 69.42 %. The viscosity increased as the temperature dropped. The potassium and calcium contents increased with increased in the addition of lentils. Sodium and iron contents were high in the sample AM4 (fermented 100% provitamin A biofortified maize). The carotenoid content ranged from 0.80 to 1.27 mg/100 g. The anti-nutritional contents (phytate and oxalate) were reduced, while the trypsin inhibitor increased. The most abundant essential amino acid was leucine, while glutamic acid was the most abundant non-essential amino acid. It was observed that as lentil seed increased, the amino acids increased too. The values obtained for essential amino acid met up with the recommended standards, except for tryptophan, methionine, threonine and cystine. The sample TU1 (70% fermented provitamin A biofortifed maize and 30% germinated lentils seed) was the most acceptable by the panelists compared to the commercial baby formula (control). Therefore, this complementary diet may serve as means to combat protein-energy malnutrition in infants. A further research should be carried out on in-vivo study of this complementary diet.

Effects of parenteral glutamine in critically ill surgical patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: glutamine (GLN), the most abundant non-essential amino acid in the plasma, tends to be rapidly depleted in cells in situations of metabolic stress. Some studies have demonstrated the benefits of GLN supplementation on mortality, infection, and length of hospital stay. The objective of this review was to analyze whether parenteral supplementation with GLN has any relevant effect in critically ill surgical patients. Methods: based on a systematic database search, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published since 1985 were included if they had evaluated the effect of parenteral GLN supplementation in critical surgical patients. The statistical analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.3 software. Results: seven RCTs were eligible for the meta-analysis. Parenteral glutamine supplementation was associated with a non-significant 24 % reduction in mortality (RR = 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.50-1.15). Infections were significantly reduced (RR = 0.60; 95 % CI: 0.45-0.80), and length of hospital stay was 4.09 days shorter (95 % CI: -6.71 to -1.46). Conclusion: parenteral GLN usage in critical surgical patients seems to decrease infection and length of hospital stay, but we could not demonstrate a significant reduction in mortality.

Essential Role of Nonessential Amino Acid Glutamine in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

Atherosclerosis is a major disease that seriously harms human health and is known as the "number one killer" in developed countries and the leading cause of death worldwide. Glutamine is the most abundant nonessential amino acid in the human blood that has multifaceted effects on the body. Recent studies showed that glutamine is negatively corrected with the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. In this review, we focused on the relationship of glutamine with macrophage polarization, nitrification stress, oxidative stress injury, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, and therapeutic angiogenesis to review its roles in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Therapeutic Effects of Amino Acids in Liver Diseases: Current Studies and Future Perspectives.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver and the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. HCC is caused by infection of hepatitis B/C virus and liver dysfunctions, such as alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis. Amino acids are organic substances containing amine and carboxylic acid functional groups. There are over 700 kinds of amino acids in nature, but only about 20 of them are used to synthesize proteins in cells. Liver is an important organ for protein synthesis, degradation and detoxification as well as amino acid metabolism. In the liver, there are abundant non-essential amino acids, such as alanine, aspartate, glutamate, glycine, and serine and essential amino acids, such as histidine and threonine. These amino acids are involved in various cellular metabolisms, the synthesis of lipids and nucleotides as well as detoxification reactions. Understanding the role of amino acids in the pathogenesis of liver and the effects of amino acid intake on liver disease can be a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of liver disease. In this review, we describe the biochemical properties and functions of amino acids and to review how they have been applied to treatment of liver diseases.

One-Step Conversion of Glutamic Acid into 2-Pyrrolidone on a Supported Ru Catalyst in a Hydrogen Atmosphere: Remarkable Effect of CO Activation.

Glutamic acid, an abundant nonessential amino acid, was converted into 2‐pyrrolidone in the presence of a supported Ru catalyst under a pressurized hydrogen atmosphere. This reaction pathway proceeded through the dehydration of glutamic acid into pyroglutamic acid, subsequent hydrogenation, and the dehydrogenation–decarbonylation of pyroglutaminol into 2‐pyrrolidone. In the conversion of pyroglutaminol, Ru/Al2O3 exhibited notably higher activity than supported Pt, Pd, and Rh catalysts. IR analysis revealed that Ru can hydrogenate the formed CO through dehydrogenation–decarbonylation of hydroxymethyl groups in pyroglutaminol and can also easily desorb CH4 from the active sites on Ru. Furthermore, Ru/Al2O3 showed the highest catalytic activity among the tested catalysts in the conversion of pyroglutamic acid. Consequently, the conversion of glutamic acid produced a high yield of 2‐pyrrolidone by using the supported Ru catalyst. This is the first report of this one‐pot reaction under mild reaction conditions (433 K, 2 MPa H2)„ which avoids the degradation of unstable amino acids above 473 K.

Amino Acid Composition of Five Wild Edible Fruits of Assam, North-East India

In this study, amino acids profiles of 5 wild edible fruits viz. Grewia sapida, Ottelia alismoides, Aporosa dioica, Antidesma bunius and Eugenia operculata found in Assam of North-East India were investigated by RP-HPLC equipped with C18 column. A total of 17 amino acids in varying compositions were identified and 8 of these are essential amino acids and 9 of these are non-essential amino acids. In all of the 5 wild fruits, 6 different amino acids were identified and these were aspartic acid (1.151-3.837 %), glutamic acid (2.283-9.667 %), arginine (0.904-7.187 %), valine (0.142-1.029 %), leucine (1.849-19.665 %), and histidine (0.467-12.986 %). A. bunius fruit showed the highest non-essential amino acid content whereas O. alismoides fruit displayed the highest essential amino acid content. Leucine was found to be the most abundant essential amino acid whereas glutamic acid was detected to be the most abundant non-essential amino acid.

Evaluating the impact of vegetal and microalgae protein sources on proximate composition, amino acid profile, and physicochemical properties of fermented Spanish “chorizo” sausages

The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the addition of vegetable (beans, lentils, and broad beans) and algae (Chlorella and Spirulina) protein sources on physicochemical and nutritional properties of fermented Spanish “chorizo” sausages. Color, pH, texture parameters, protein, amino acid profile, and the content of carbohydrates were significantly different among the batches. Protein content was significantly higher in the sausages with protein from soy (35.62%), Chlorella (34.66%), Spirulina (34.89%), and broad beans (34.66%) compared to the samples enriched with protein from bean and lentil, being lysine (≈19%), arginine (≈17.5%), and leucine (17.5%) the predominant essential amino acids, while glutamic acid (≈32%) and aspartic acid (≈19%) were the most abundant nonessential amino acids. It can be concluded that protein extracted from beans, lentils, broad beans, Chlorella, and Spirulina can be used to enrich “chorizo” as an alternative to soy protein. Practical applications Consumer´s growing awareness regarding the use of new healthy ingredients that could give an added value to meat products has led food industry to investigate alternative protein sources from vegetal and algae origin. “Chorizo” sausages are one of the traditional fermented meat products typical from Spain. During “chorizo” fermentation several changes on protein can occur, thus being of a paramount importance to evaluate its nutritional and quality changes. Enrichment of “chorizo” with protein from vegetal and algae origin can constitute a useful alternative to improve “chorizo” nutritional profile, and consequently increasing its market opportunity.

Assessment of Vitamins, Protein Quality and Mineral Bioavailability of Matured Stems of Opuntia dillenii Grown in Nigeria

The vitamin composition, protein quality and mineral bioavailability of matured stems of Opuntia dillenii were investigated. The sample was analyzed using an automatic amino acid analyzer (JEOL (JLC 500/V) for the assessment of amino acids, and an atomic absorption spectrophotometer for the mineral composition analysis while the vitamin composition was evaluated using spectrophotometric methods. The amino acid composition ranged between 1.31g - 20.08g/100g. Arginine and leucine had the highest concentration of essential amino acids while glutamate and aspartate were the most abundant non-essential amino acid in the studied plant. The percentage Total essential amino acids (with Histidine), Total non-essential amino acids, Total aromatic amino acids, and Total sulphur amino acids were 41.8%, 56.1%, 8.1% and 5.3% respectively. The results for the protein quality indices: - the predicted protein efficiency ratios (P-PERs I, II, and III) were 2.45, 2.59 and 3.49 respectively. The amino acid scoring pattern showed valine and lysine as the limiting essential amino acids considering the requirements of pre-school children. The vitamin analysis showed that vitamin B12 and vitamin A were the most occurring vitamins. The mineral analysis results revealed magnesium, calcium and phosphorus as the most concentrated while the [phytate]/ [calcium] ratio and [phytate]/ [zinc] ratio in the sample were below the critical levels. The study has shown that matured stems of Opuntia dillenii can contribute greatly towards meeting human nutritional requirement and the high vitamin B12 content could be of important value in patients with severe sickle cell disease.