The nutritional evaluation of kidney beans (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>). The effect on nutritional value of seed germination and changes in trypsin inhibitor content

Abstract

Abstract The total N content of kidney beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) was found to increase on germination. The overall amino acid composition however changed very little. Rats fed on a diet containing raw beans lost more weight than the protein‐free controls (negative n.p.u. value). Germination was found to bring about a gradual improvement in nutritive value probably through the elimination of some of the toxic constituents of the seed. The near doubling of the amount of trypsin inhibitors by the 8th day of germination taken together with the substantial improvement in the nutritive value of the bean appeared to rule out trypsin inhibitors as the main toxic components of raw beans.