Protein quality and digestible energy of selected foods determined in balance trials with rats.

Chemical analyses and balance trials with rats of 17 foods showed marked differences in protein quality. According to an in vitro procedure true protein digestibility was high (around 90%). The same was also the case for the in vivo values with the exception of two legumes, beans and chick peas, which were digested to a markedly lower degree when compared to the in vitro values. The assumed reason for this is discussed. Due to extensive differences in the amino acid composition of the 17 samples BV varied considerably with the lowest value (45.5) of rice-wheat gluten breakfast cereal. Energy digestibility was generally high. Amino acid digestibility determined in vivo followed the pattern of the corresponding protein digestibility, although marked differences occurred from one amino acid to another in the same food.