A comparative study of amino acid profiles of normal and quality protein maize grains and proximate composition of their food products

Abstract

Normal maize is a carbohydrate food that serves as one of the main dietary sources of protein in many rural communities in Ghana. However, the quality of its protein is poor, hence, the need for protein supplementation and complementation with animal products and legumes. Maize breeding strategies have culminated in the development of a new type of maize called ‘Quality Protein Maize' (QPM). This new maize has twice as much useable protein as normal maize because of higher levels of lysine and tryptophan and a better balance between leucine and isoleucine in the protein. Nutritional studies involving children and adults have shown its superior feeding value to normal maize. The proximate composition of the food products (roasted grains/meal, polished grains, degermed grits/meal, kemkey and koko) from QPM did not differ appreciable from that of normal maize. However, the QPM grains used to make the products contained numerically higher levels of lysine and tryptohan as well as better balance between leucine and isoleucine. Therefore, food products made from QPM grains are considered better sources of protein than those of normal maize for humans that will address the prevalent protein malnutrition in the country. It is recommended that the government formulates policies that will boost production and consumption QPM.

Ghana Journal of Development Studies Vol. 3(1) 2006: 44-54