Content of amino acids in fresh and preserved physiologically immature grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) seeds

The aim of the work was to determine the level of amino acids in fresh and preserved physiologically immature grass pea seeds. Seeds of the grass pea cv. Krab at five stages of maturity, corresponding to dry matter content from 26 to 50%, were evaluated. The estimation was conducted at the stages of the raw material, the frozen product after 6 months storage cooked to consumption consistency, and the canned product within 6 months of production. In the later stages of seed maturity the content of total amino acids and of total non-essential, essential, and sulphuric amino acids computed per 100 g fresh matter increased. The computation per 16 g N showed increasing amounts of sulphuric amino acids and variation depending on the degree of maturity in the content of the remaining amino acids. Cystine with methionine were amino acids limiting the biological value of the first order, irrespective of the degree of maturity, leucine playing the same role with regard to the second order. For these amino acids the index of the limiting amino acid was 64–82 and 83–95 for the raw material, 72–77 and 91–99 for frozen seeds after cooking, and 70–75 and 86–99 for canned seeds. The integrated index of essential amino acids, depending on the degree of maturity, for the raw material was 120–126, for frozen seeds cooked 123–126, and for canned seeds 120–123.