ESSENTIAL AMINO-ACIDS PROFILE IN 8 TRADITIONAL CEREAL CULTIVARS OF TRANS-HIMALAYAN REGION

Proximate and amino acid composition of eight traditionally cultivated varieties of pseudocereals and cereals viz. Amaranthus polygamus, Fagopyrum esculentum, Eleusine coracana, Hordeum vulgare, Panicum miliare, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Setaria verticillata, and Triticum vulgare of trans-Himalayan region were chemically evaluated. The proteins of all the cereals are well balanced with respect to their essential amino acid contents. The quantities are comparable to the known standard varieties of rice and wheat. Pseudocereals (A. polygamus and F. esculentum) possess better amino acids profile with high lysine contents of 4.4 and 4.7 g/100 g protein respectively.