THE POTENTIAL OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA (TROPICAL

ALMOND) SEED AS A SOURCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN

1. C.A. EZEOKONKWO1,,
2. W.L. DODSON2

Article first published online: 31 MAY 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4557.2004.tb00650.x

Journal of Food Quality

Volume 27, Issue 3, pages 207219, August 2004

ABSTRACT
The nutritional value of Terminalia catappa seed as a source of dietary protein was investigated.
The crude protein content of the seed was high (25.81%). The amino acid analysis showed a
good pattern of the essential amino acids (EAA) (in g/16 g N) - leucine (7.32), isoleucine (3.58),
valine (2.74), phenylalanine (3.04), tryptophan (0.9), methionine (1.48), lysine (3.39), threonine
(2.94), histidine (2.96). Tyrosine (2.12) is the limiting amino acid. The protein quality of the seed
was evaluated by in vivo bioassays using weanling male Sprague Dawley rats (5060 g). The
indices of protein quality measured include PER, BV, NPU and TD. There were positive
correlation between PER and BV (r = 0.7105), PER and body weight gain (r = 0.9157), PER and
nitrogen intake (r = 0.7428). The results showed that T. catappa seed protein has a good pattern
of the EAA, is highly digestible, can support growth and positive nitrogen balance and thus has a
high dietary protein quality.
Nilai gizi Terminalia catappa benih sebagai sumber protein diselidiki. Kandungan
protein kasar dari benih itu tinggi (25,81%). Analisis asam amino menunjukkan pola
yang baik dari asam amino esensial (EAA) (di g/16 g N) - leusin (7,32), isoleusin
(3,58), valine (2,74), fenilalanin (3,04), triptofan (0,9), metionin (1,48), lisin (3,39),
treonin (2,94), histidin (2,96). Tirosin (2.12) adalah asam amino pembatas. Kualitas
protein benih dievaluasi dengan di bioassay vivo menggunakan weanling jantan
Sprague Dawley (50-60 g). Indeks kualitas protein diukur meliputi PER, BV, NPU dan
TD. Ada korelasi positif antara PER dan BV (r = 0,7105), PER dan bobot badan (r =
0,9157), PER dan asupan nitrogen (r = 0,7428). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan
bahwa T. protein biji catappa memiliki pola yang baik dari EAA, sangat mudah
dicerna, dapat mendukung pertumbuhan dan keseimbangan nitrogen positif dan
tentunya memiliki kualitas protein tinggi.

Food Chemistry
Volume 70, Issue 2, 1 August 2000, Pages 185191

Composition and nutritional properties of seeds from

Pachira aquatica Aubl, Sterculia striata St Hil et Naud and
Terminalia catappa Linn
,

J.T.A Oliveira

I.M Vasconcelos,

L.C.N.M Bezerra,

S.B Silveira,

A.C.O Monteiro,

R.A Moreira

Departamento de Bioqum
ica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do
Cear, PO Box 6020, Campus do Pici, 60451-970, Fortaleza, Cear, Brazil

Abstract
The seeds of three wild plants (Pachira aquatica, Sterculia striata and Terminalia catappa) were
analyzed to establish their chemical compositions and nutritional properties in order to
investigate the possibility of using them for human and/or animal consumption. Proximate
analyses showed that they have high amounts of protein and oil. However, they are deficient in
various essential amino acids but P. aquatica seeds have tryptophan, threonine and phenylalanine
+ tyrosine contents higher than those reported for human milk, chicken egg and cow's milk.
Haemagglutinating and trypsin inhibitor activities were found to be present in the seeds of P.

aquatica and T. catappa but absent in S. striata. Coincidentally the rats fed on S. striata diet
gained slightly in weight and presented alterations in the key internal organs which were less
drastic throughout the 10-day test period. On the other hand, the rats fed on T. catappa diet
maintained their body weight but suffered from stomah, small intestine and pancreas hypertrophy
as well as spleen atrophy. Five out of six rats fed on P. aquatica diet died within 68 days. The
remaining rat experienced enlargement of the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart and lungs
and had spleen atrophy when compared with the same organs of rats fed on egg-white diet.
Hypertrophy of the pancreas and kidneys was very marked and these organs nearly doubled in
dry weight in comparison with those of the egg-white control group, demonstrating that the raw
seed of P. aquatica are highly toxic when fed to rats even at a meal protein concentration half
that of S. striata or T. catappa, which were better tolerated by the experimental animals.

Keywords

Sterculia striata;

Terminalia catappa;

Pachira aquatica;

Protein quality;

Antinutritional factors;

Toxicity

Benih-benih tiga tanaman liar ( Pachira aquatica , Sterculia striata dan Terminalia
catappa ) dianalisis untuk membentuk komposisi kimia dan sifat gizi untuk
menyelidiki kemungkinan menggunakan mereka untuk konsumsi manusia dan /
atau hewan . Analisis proksimat menunjukkan bahwa mereka memiliki jumlah
tinggi protein dan minyak . Namun, mereka kekurangan berbagai asam amino
esensial tetapi P. biji aquatica memiliki triptofan , treonin dan fenilalanin + isi
tirosin tinggi daripada yang dilaporkan untuk susu manusia , telur ayam dan
susu sapi . Hemaglutinasi dan kegiatan inhibitor tripsin ditemukan untuk hadir
dalam biji P. aquatica dan T. catappa tetapi tidak ada dalam S. striata . Kebetulan
tikus yang diberi diet S. striata naik sedikit berat dan disajikan perubahan dalam
organ internal kunci yang kurang drastis selama periode uji 10 hari . Di sisi lain ,
tikus yang diberi T. catappa diet mempertahankan berat badan mereka, tetapi
menderita stomah , usus halus dan pankreas hipertrofi serta limpa atrofi . Lima
dari enam tikus yang diberi diet P. aquatica meninggal dalam waktu 6-8 hari .
Sisa tikus mengalami pembesaran perut , hati, pankreas , ginjal , jantung dan
paru-paru dan limpa memiliki atrofi bila dibandingkan dengan organ-organ yang
sama tikus yang diberi diet putih telur . Hipertrofi pankreas dan ginjal sangat
ditandai dan organ-organ ini hampir dua kali lipat dalam berat kering
dibandingkan dengan orang-orang dari kelompok kontrol putih telur ,
menunjukkan bahwa biji mentah P. aquatica sangat beracun bila diumpankan ke

tikus bahkan pada protein makan setengah konsentrasi yang S. striata atau T.
catappa , yang lebih baik ditoleransi oleh hewan percobaan

The Journal of Agricultural Science

The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 124 / Issue 03 / June 1995, pp

437-445

Copyright Cambridge University Press 1995

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600073391 (About DOI), Published

online: 27 March 2009

e Journal of Agricultural Science

The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 124 / Issue 03 / June 1995, pp

437-445

Copyright Cambridge University Press 1995

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600073391 (About DOI), Published

online: 27 March 200

Nutritional and haemagglutination properties of several tropical seeds

G. Granta1, L. J. Morea1, N. H. McKenziea1, P. M. Dorwarda1, W. C. Buchana1, L. Teleka2
and A. Pusztaia1
a1

The Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB, UK

a2

USDA ARS, Tropical Agricultural Research Station, PO Box 70, 00681, Mayaguez, Puerto
Rico
SUMMARY
The nutritional potential of a number of raw tropical seeds was assessed in a series of feeding
trials with rats. Seed lectin reactivity was also monitored, -amylase and trypsin inhibitory
activities were determined in some of the seeds.

Abelmosclius esculentus, Chenopodium quinoa, Delonix regia, Macroptilium lathyroides,

Papaver sonmiferum, Parkia biglandulosa, Sesbania arabica, Terminalia catappa, Vigna
subterranea, Vigna umbellata and Vigna unguiculata seeds supported moderate rat growth. The
seeds contained only low levels of essentially non-toxic lectin, moderate amounts of trypsin
inhibitors and negligible quantities of a-amylase inhibitors and they have great potential as
dietary protein sources for man and animals.
Artocarpus altilis, Canavalia ensiformis, Canavalia maritima, Dioclea grandiflora, Phaseolus
acutifolius, Phaseolus coccineus and Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Processor, cv. Rosinha G2 and cv.
Carioca 80 seeds were toxic. These seeds contained high levels of potentially toxic lectins. Other
antinutritional factors may also have contributed to the high oral toxicity of some of these seeds.
Albizia adinocephala, Albizia lebbeck, Bauhinia violacea, Cassia nodosa, Cassia tora, Dioclea
sclerocarpa, Entada phaseoloides, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Leucaena leucocephala and
Moringa oleifera seeds were also highly toxic but had only low levels of essentially non-toxic
lectins suggesting that the toxicity was due to other anti-nutritional factors.
Bauhinia reticulata, Macrotyloma uniflorum and Tamarindus indica proteins were poorly
digested and utilized. The seeds contained low levels of lectins which agglutinated only rat and
cattle erythrocytes which had been pre-treated with suitable proteases. Brownea macrophylla had
a similar lectin reactivity.