Effect of processing on availability of essential amino acids in rice flour and cooked rice.

The availability of nitrogen, lysine and nine essential amino acids was determined in rice flour and cooked rice. Lysine availability was determined by the growth response method using regression analysis of body weight gain or moisture gain against lysine consumed from rice flour and cooked rice. The results show a good correlation between lysine consumed and weight gain or moisture gain (r = 0.86 + 0.8) for rats fed cooked rice and fair correlation for those fed rice flour. The results of lysine availability show that cooking increases availability by both ways of calculation. The availability of nitrogen and of essential amino acids was also determined by the balance trial method with rats. Results of balance trial show that cooking has no significant effect on essential amino acids availability. Data for weight gain, food efficiency and PER were significantly decreased by cooking.