Supplementary and weaning foods for the Egyptian child.

Attempts were made to prepare 5 protein rich food mixtures to be used as supplementary and weaning foods for children from 6 months of age onwards. They contain vegetable and animal protein sources. They were prepared in a way to simplify their use. Potatoes, carrots and peas were the basal ingredient in each mixture. The protein content of the mixtures ranges from 16-20% with a chemical score not less than 50%. The mixtures contained most of the essential amino acids in optimal concentrations, except methionine and cystine which are slightly lower than the amounts recommended by FAO. The nutritive value of each mixture estimated by the slope ratio bioassay procedure was high. They are nutritionally superior to casein, used as a reference protein. They differ slightly when compared with each other.

Zinc deficiency, alcohol, and retinoid: association with esophageal cancer in rats.

Groups of Charles River Sprague-Dawley male rats were given intragastric intubations of methylbenzylnitrosamine after receiving one of the following diets for 4 weeks: control, zinc-deficient, or zinc-deficient diet plus 4% ethanol in the drinking water. One zinc-deficient group was zinc repleted after the dosing period; the other group, zinc-deficient plus 4% ethanol, received 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) after the dosing period. Zinc deficiency significantly enhanced esophageal tumor incidence; the addition of ethanol further enhanced tumor incidence. Zinc repletion reduced tumor incidence, whereas the addition of 13-cis-RA enhanced tumor incidence.

Unconventional protein sources: "date seeds".

Different varieties of Egyptian date seed were evaluated biochemically. The protein content of which was in the range of 7.13-10.36%, while the fat content was from 6.32-9.28%. Phosphorus, calcium and iron were determined in all experimental samples. One variety of date seed (Samany) were used for extensive determination of the amino acids constituents by acid hydrolysis, quantitative determination of some amino acids, and evaluation of their biological value on attempt to use the seeds as new protein sources. Weanling albino rats fed on a diet of protein level 5% lost weight, but no toxic signs were observed. Analysis of blood serum of rats, for total proteins, albumin globulin ratio and free nonessential/essential amino acid protein, showed the date seed protein to be of low biological value.

Protein-rich food mixtures for feeding the young in Egypt. 1. formulation.

Ten protein-rich food mixtures were suggested. They are based on popular dishes which could be prepared simply at home. Such mixtures were prepared from seeds or legumes available in the local markets at reasonable prices. These ingredients are polished rice, decorticated lentils, defatted sesame flour, whole or roasted chick peas (dehulled), maize bread, sun flour kernels, fenugreek seeds, wheat (whole grains or parboiled grains), white wheat flour, defatted peanut flour, defatted sesame flour and dry yeast. The protein content of such food mixtures ranged from 17.7 to 23.2%, which is in agreement with recommended values. Defatted sesame flour was incorporated in most of the mixtures in order to correct for their sulphur-containing amino-acids as it is already known that sesame is a rich source of sulphur-containing amino acids in comparison to other vegetable sources. Further investigations are going on to determine the nutritive value of the formulated mixtures before feeding them to the children.

Unconventional protein sources: apricot seed kernels.

Hamawy apricot seed kernels (sweet), Amar apricot seed kernels (bitter) and treated Amar apricot kernels (bitterness removed) were evaluated biochemically. All kernels were found to be high in fat (42.2--50.91%), protein (23.74--25.70%) and fiber (15.08--18.02%). Phosphorus, calcium, and iron were determined in all experimental samples. The three different apricot seed kernels were used for extensive study including the qualitative determination of the amino acid constituents by acid hydrolysis, quantitative determination of some amino acids, and biological evaluation of the kernel proteins in order to use them as new protein sources. Weanling albino rats failed to grow on diets containing the Amar apricot seed kernels due to low food consumption because of its bitterness. There was no loss in weight in that case. The Protein Efficiency Ratio data and blood analysis results showed the Hamawy apricot seed kernels to be higher in biological value than treated apricot seed kernels. The Net Protein Ratio data which accounts for both weight, maintenance and growth showed the treated apricot seed kernels to be higher in biological value than both Hamawy and Amar kernels. The Net Protein Ratio for the last two kernels were nearly equal.

An epidemiological and biochemical study on osteomalacia among pregnant women in Egypt.

230 pregnant women of low socio-economic standard were studied regarding the nutritional status and state of calcium and bone mineralization, social, environmental, dietary and biological factors of the women were also investigated to determine their possible role in such state. Results revealed a low nutritional status associated with biochemical abnormality denoting an impaired calcium state and defective bone mineralization. The low intake of available calcium and lack or inefficient supplements are suggested to be the main factors in causing the low state of calcium.

The use of Lupinus termis L. cultivated in Egypt, as a food protein supplement.

1. General analysis of the seeds for protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber and ash contents were carried out and the results were given in g/100 g dry seeds. Lupinus termis contained a higher percentage of protein (40.36), 290 mg calcium and 6.5 mg iron. 2. All the essential amino acids are present in fair amounts with the exception of sulphur-amino acids and Lysine. 3. Cooking the seeds resulted in a slight decrease of most of the amino acids with the exception of Tryptophan and Lysine, which exhibited a slight increase after cooking. 4. Of the toxic substances present in the seeds is Trypsin inhibitor, which was destroyed by heat treatment, and alkaloids, which were removed by soaking the seeds three days in running tap water. 5. Supplementing the debittered seeds with Lysine and Methionine resulted in an increase in its nutritive value.

Nutritive studies on some raw and prepared leguminous seeds commonly used in the Arab Republic of Syria.

1. The proximate analysis of raw Syrian lentils (Lens esculentus), variety red chick pea (Cicer arietinum) variety balady, has been made. The protein content of the two raw seeds were 23 and 22 g% for lentils and chick peas, respectively. Ethereal extract, fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorus and iron content of the two raw seeds have been also assayed. 2. The levels of most of the amino acids were also estimated in the raw and cooked seeds. It was found that tryptophan- and sulphur-containing amino acids were the most limiting ones. Cooking the seeds by the same methods commonly used in Syria resulted in the loss of most of the amino acids, with the exception of lysine and tryptophan which were slightly increased. 3. Trypsin inhibitors and saponins were detected in the raw seeds. Haemagglutinins were present in raw lentils only. Cooking the seeds destroyed the trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinins and did not affect the saponins. 4. The net protein utilization of whole lentils and chick peas were 38 and 53, respectively. Decortication of lentils or cooking without decortication has no effect on the NPU values. Cooking the decorticated lentil seeds raised its NPU values from 38 to 56. Cooking chick peas resulted in a slight increase in their NPU. Supplementation of the raw and treated seeds with methionine and tryptophan raised its NPU values markedly.

The effect of chromium III on the intravenous glucose tolerance of rats given diets of different protein values.

The effect of chromium administration on glucose utilization was investigated in 32 rats fed either high or low protein diet. In rats fed a low protein diet of NDpE% 4.3 the glucose removal rate increased significantly following the administration of chromium. However, the administration of chromium has no effect on the glucose removal rate in rats fed high protein diet of NDpE% 10.1. The glucose removal rate of rats kept on a diet of high protein value free from chromium was significantly higher than those kept on a low protein diet. Chromium deficiency did not appear to be the only responsible cause for the impaired glucose tolerance in animals fed low protein diet. It could be concluded that both chromium supplementation and protein ingestion promote insulin secretion.

Phytochemical and nutritional studies on pigeon pea and kidney bean cultivated in Egypt.

1. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the two seeds established the presence of carbohydrates and/or glycosides, flavnoids, unsaturated sterols and/or triterpenes, saponins, trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinins. In addition, it established the absence of cardenolides, tannins, alkaloids and oxidase enzyme. 2. Certain pharmacopoeial constants, including moisture, ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-soluble ash and crude fibre were determined. 3. The two seeds were subjected to successive extractions with different organic solvents such as petroleum ether (50-70 degrees C), diethyl ether, chloroform and ethyl alcohol. The successive yields of extractives were determined. Examination of the crude extracts showed that petroleum ether extract contained sterols and/or triterpenes, while ether, chloroform, and ethyl alcohol extracts contained reducing substances. 4. General analysis of the two seeds for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibre and ash contents were carried out and the results were given in g/100 g dry seeds. Pigeon pea contained 25.2 g protein, 170 mg calcium and 8.9 mg iron. The protein content of kidney bean was 23 g, while calcium and iron contents were 134 mg and 8.02 mg respectively. 5. Extractions of the proteins using different solvents such as cold water, hot water, saline buffer pH 7 and sodium hydroxide was the best extractant. 6. The amino-acid content of the two seeds, whether raw or cooked, showed that they were deficient in methionine, cystine and tryptophan. Other essential amino acids were present in amounts higher than that given by the FAO provisional pattern. 7. Cooking the seeds by the popular methods used in the country resulted in an increase in the amounts of the amino acids, threonine, leucine and isoleucine, while the other amino acids present remained unchanged or decreased. It was also observed that cooking the seeds destroyed the trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinins found in the two seeds.

Comparative studies on some leguminous protein sources and soybean proteins.

The nutrient contents as well as the amino acid pattern of broad bean, kidney bean and soybean were determined. The levels of most of the amino acids were also estimated. Heat treatment of the leguminous seeds caused a noticeable reduction in the levels of methionine, cystine, lysine and tryptophan. Animal experiments showed high figures for digestibility, biological value and net protein utilization for the soybean diet whereas the broad bean and kidney beans gave lower values of these measurement compared with soybean.