Protein quality of chickpea (Cicer arietenum) with different grades of Callosobruchus chinensis L. infestation.

The chickpea was infested at 20, 40, and 60% levels by Callosobruchus chinensis L. (Bruchids) and its protein quality was evaluated in comparison with that of uninfested chickpea and casein protein. The protein quality parameters used were protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein utilization (NPU), apparent protein digestibility (APD), true protein digestibility (TPD), biological value (BV) and net protein ratio (NPR). The proximate composition was also determined. The PER, BV, NPU, APD, TPD, NPR and nitrogen retention of casein protein was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than all the pulse proteins. The values for all these proteins for uninfested control were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the three infested pulse proteins. Within the infestation levels the nitrogen retention, APD, TPD, BV and NPR of the 20 and 40% infestation levels were similar. However, the NPU of proteins at all infestation levels differed significantly (p < 0.05). It may be concluded that, in general, an increase in the infestation levels by bruchids leads to a deterioration in the protein quality of chickpea.