[Composition and nutritive value of the Pajimaca sweet corn and Pajimaca Opaque-2, grown in Venezuela]

The chemical composition and nutritive value of the sweet corn variety known as Pajimaca, and of the Pajimaca with the Opaque-2 gen, is herein presented. Evidence revealed that they contained similar levels of vitamins and minerals, with the exception of niacin, which was found to be higher in the latter. Lysine and tryptophan values for the Pajimaca Opaque-2 almost doubled those determined in the normal variety Pajimaca. As expected, compared with common corn, these varieties showed lower amounts of starch and higher amounts of sucrose and of total sugars. Biological evaluation assays in rats demonstrated a higher PER, weight gain and food efficiency index values for the Pajimaca Opaque-2, thus confirming its better protein quality.