Amino acid composition of Lagenaria siceraria seed flour and protein fractions.

Defatted seed flours of Lagenaria siceraria (calabash and bottle gourd) were fractionated into their major protein fractions. The amino acid composition of seed flours and their protein fractions were determined and the protein quality was evaluated. Glutamic acid (139-168 mg/g protein) was the most abundant amino acid followed by aspartic acid (89.0-116 mg/g protein) in both the seed flours and their protein fractions. The total essential amino acid ranged from 45.8 to 51.5%. The predicted protein efficiency ratio and the predicted biological value ranged from 2.4 to 2.9 and 8.7 to 44.0, respectively. Lysine and sulphur amino acids were mostly concentrated in the globulin fractions. The first and second limiting amino acids in seed flours and protein fractions were methionine and valine or threonine. The seed flours contained adequate essential amino acids required by growing school children and adults. The seed has potential as protein supplement in cereal based complementary diets or in the replacement of animal proteins in conventional foods.