[Biological behavior of protein fractions isolated from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)]

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors responsible for the low digestibility of bean proteins. To this effect, protein fractions were isolated from black beans through sequential extraction with distilled water, 70% ethanol and 0.01 M sodium hydroxide. Since the amount of protein extracted with the solvents was very low, it was practically impossible to carry out its biological evaluation in rats. Therefore, the protein fractions were added to casein diets in order to determine the decrease in casein digestibility due to the particular protein fraction added. The extracts and residues were heated and dehydrated prior to their incorporation in the rations. Nine rations were prepared. The first one was the control with casein only; 20% of whole bean flour was added to the 2nd; rations 3, 4 and 5 contained the water extraction residue, the water extract, and both, respectively; rations 6, 7 and 8 contained the ethanolic residue, the ethanol extract, and both, respectively. Finally, ration 9 was prepared with the NaOH residue. All the materials used as well as the rations were analyzed for their proximate composition and amino acid pattern. The results of the biological evaluation were as follows: casein and dry matter digestibility decreased significantly with the 2nd ration which contained 20% whole bean flour, effect which was significant also in rations containing either the water or the ethanol extract. This effect is attributed to the antiphysiological factors present in the beans which are resistant to heat treatment. The protein efficiency ratio was lower for the rations prepared with the residues from water and ethanol extractions (3 and 6) than for casein; these results are attributed to the lysine and methionine deficiency in the protein fractions, complicated by a lower protein intake. The lowest nutritive value was found in group 7, which was fed the ration containing the ethanol extract, but when the latter was added together with its residue (ration 8), the PER was superior than for ration 7, possibly due to a higher content of methionine and lysine in ration 8. Finally, it is suggested that better results could be obtained by using higher amounts of beans and their protein fractions in the ration.