[Obtaining flour and protein concentrate from seeds of Melilotus albus. Study of the protein quality].

The present research was carried out to determine the nutritive quality of the flour and protein concentrate from Melilotus albus (white clover) seeds. The flour was studied first. The protein analysis showed methionine to be the first limiting amino acid with a chemical score of 25, with threonine as the second. The biological value obtained was 27. Supplementation studies were performed with different levels of methionine and it was found that the 0.3% level resulted in the best net performance. The biological value obtained under these conditions was 60. The protein efficiency ratio (PER) was also determined, with a value of 1.40 after being corrected with respect to casein. The protein was isolated after studying the pH optimum solubility and precipitation conditions until the flour coumarin compounds were eliminated. Further biological experiments were carried out with the supplemented isolated protein. Under these conditions, a PER value of 2.4 and a biological value of 69 were obtained. No toxicity was observed in rats of both sexes by administration of the protein concentrate during 60 days, at least in the parameters studied during this period.