ASSESSMENT OF THE PROTEIN-QUALITY OF 2 NEW CANADIAN-DEVELOPED OAT CULTIVARS BY AMINO-ACID-ANALYSIS

The total protein and amino acid compositions of two newly released spring-type oat cultivars (Avena sativa L.), namely Newman and AC Stewart, have been determined by use of analytical chromatographic methods. Mean protein values in the whole oat grains were 10.75% in Newman and 11.93% in AC Stewart, and, dehulled, the protein contents were 13.27 and 12.62%, respectively. These results are in agreement with Robbins et al. (J. Agric. Food Chem. 1971, 10, 536-539) recalculated results (12.34%), which were based on the sum of the weights of the amino acids present. Both new oat cultivars contained a good balance of essential amino acids, i.e., EAA(9) = 44.2-45.4%, compared to the FAO/WHO reference protein pattern value of 33.9% for a 2-5-year-old child. The whole oat grains were limited only in lysine. They had an amino acid score, adjusted for digestibility, of 58% for Newman and 66.7% AC Stewart. These results suggest that the most accurate evaluation of protein quality in oats, and possibly in other cereals and legumes, is from their amino acid compositional data.