Abstract

With the increase role that legume protein plays in the world food supply, the nutritive quality related to trypsin inhibitor level is of major concern. The presence of trypsin inhibitors has been demonstrated in a wide variety of cereals and legumes. Rackis (1972) reported that an increase in nutritive value of soy flour paralleled the destruction of trypsin inhibitor activity. Liener (1974) suggested that trypsin inhibitors, along with other growth inhibitors that exist in addition to that resulting from phytohaemaglutinins in soybean seeds, accounted for growth inhibition noticed when these seeds are fed to rats. This study was carried to find out the extent of sprouting effect on the anti-nutritional factor’ trypsin’ in cowpea and it was discovered that there was a progressive reduction in the trypsin inhibitor as the germination period increases. The reduction was four fold of the original content.

Key words: Phytohaemaglutinins, aminomethane, benzoyl-DL-arginine-P-nitroanilide (BAPA), horsegram, dimethyl sulphoxide (BDH), Phaseolus mungo, immunoelectrophoresis, Phaseolus aureus, Phaseolus mungoreous, trypsin inhibitor.