Expression of granule‐bound starch synthase in developing rice grain

The expression of granule‐bound starch synthase (GBSS) in rice (Oryza sativa) genotype Tainung 67 (200 g kg^?1 grain amylose content) and its two NaN₃‐induced mutants SA419 and SA418 were examined. G/T polymorphism analysis indicated that SA418 (300 g kg^?1 grain amylose content) carried Wx^a allele. The insertion of 23 base pairs sequence was found only in SA419 (80 g kg^?1 grain amylose content), suggesting that it was a waxy mutant. Microsatellite polymorphisms (CT)_n were also detected on the Wx gene encoding GBSS in the tested genotypes. The activities of several key enzymes involving starch biosynthesis in developing grains of field‐grown rice plants were also compared during grain filling period. Significant genotypic differences were only found in the expression of GBSS. The content of amylose in SA418 grain was higher than Tainung 67 and SA419 grains throughout the entire grain filling period, possibly due to its superiority to synthesize amylose through GBSS. The lowest amylose content of SA 419 grain was attributable to its extremely low activity of GBSS in comparison with the two other genotypes. The mutation effects on the expression of GBSS were confirmed by two‐dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of oligosaccharides on phase transition temperatures and rheological characteristics of waxy rice starch dispersion

BACKGROUND: The creation of starch‐based foods incorporated with functional ingredients such as probiotics is of great current interest in the food industry. This study aimed to investigate the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on the phase transition temperatures and rheological characteristics of waxy rice starch dispersions. Four oligosaccharides were applied to the rice starch dispersions: chitooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides and xylooligosaccharides. RESULTS: The addition of 125 g kg^?1 oligosaccharides elevated the onset and peak temperatures for gelatinisation of 200–400 g kg^?1 waxy rice starch dispersions. The temperature of the storage modulus (G′) for gelatinisation increased markedly on adding fructooligosaccharides to 200–300 g kg^?1 waxy rice starch. For gelatinisation of 300 g kg^?1 rice starch dispersion the effectiveness of the oligosaccharides in changing the above parameters was as follows: chitooligosaccharides > fructooligosaccharides > isomaltooligosaccharides > xylooligosaccharides. Moreover, their effectiveness was dependent on the amylose content, as illustrated by comparing waxy and non‐waxy rice starches (amylose contents 9–256 g kg^?1). Importantly, the logarithmic G′₉₅ change was linearly and negatively correlated with amylose content. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that oligosaccharide‐containing rice starch dispersions may potentially be used for the formulation of oligosaccharide‐containing starchy functional foods owing to the rheological changes of these starch dispersions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Growth, yield and seed composition of native Australian legumes with potential as grain crops

BACKGROUND: Many Australian native legumes grow in arid and nutrient‐poor environments. Yet few Australian herbaceous legumes have been investigated for domestication potential. This study compared growth and reproductive traits, grain yield and seed composition of 17 native Australian legumes with three commercial grain legumes. RESULTS: Seed yields of seven native legumes were > 40% of Cicer arietnum, with highest seed yields and harvest indices in Glycine sp. (14.4 g per plant, 0.54 g g^?1) and Lotus cruentus (10.2 g per plant, 0.65 g g^?1). Five native species flowered earlier than field pea (Pisum sativa) (109 days), though many were slower to flower and set seed. Largest seeds were found in Glycine canescens (17 mg), with seed of other native species 14 times smaller than commercial cultivars. Seed composition of many native legumes was similar to commercial cultivars (200–330 g protein kg^?1 dry weight (DW), 130–430 g dietary fibre kg^?1 DW). Two Cullen species had high fat content (>110 g kg^?1 DW) and Trigonella sauvissima had the highest crude protein content (370 g kg^?1 DW). CONCLUSION: The seed composition and reproductive traits of some wild native Australian legumes suggest they could offer potential as grain crops for soils and environments where the current grain legumes are uneconomic. Further evaluation of genetic diversity, especially for seed size, overall productivity, and reproductive development is needed. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Variations in cadmium accumulation among rice cultivars and types and the selection of cultivars for reducing cadmium in the diet

A pot trial was conducted with 52 rice cultivars of different types collected from different origins. The results showed that there were great differences in Cd concentrations in straw, brown rice and grain chaff among the rice cultivars grown in a soil containing a Cd concentration of 100 mg kg^?1; the Cd concentrations in brown rice ranged from 0.22 to 2.86 mg kg^?1. The great genotypic differences in Cd concentrations indicated that it is possible to lower the Cd content of rice through cultivar selection and breeding. Significant differences were found in the Cd concentrations of the rice types of Indica consanguinity and those of Japonica consanguinity, but not between their origins. There were significant correlations between straw and brown rice in Cd concentration and in the total amount of Cd accumulated. The distribution ratios of the Cd accumulated in brown rice to the total Cd accumulation in the above‐ground rice plant varied greatly from 12.9 to 137.8 g kg^?1, and there was significant correlation between the distribution ratios and Cd concentrations in brown rice. These indicated that Cd concentration in rice grain is governed by the transport of Cd from root to shoot and also from shoot to grain. Cd concentrations in brown rice also correlated significantly with some important agronomic traits, as well as with nitrogen concentrations, one of the most important criteria for rice quality. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Genotypic variation of iron partitioning in rice grain

The present study investigates the variation of Fe concentration and partitioning in different grain tissues, particularly in the endosperm (white rice) among different rice cultivars from diverse genetic backgrounds. Iron concentration ranged from 10 to 20 mg kg^?1 in brown rice and 3–11 mg kg^?1 in white rice. Iron concentration in white rice was not correlated with that in brown rice. Polishing removed 25–84% of Fe from the brown rice, resulting in a low Fe concentration in the white rice and changed the ranking order for Fe concentration among the cultivars tested. Total Fe content in the whole grain including husk (r = 0.28, NS) and total Fe content in brown rice (r = 0.09, NS) was not significantly correlated with Fe concentration in white rice. Iron content in white rice was found to vary between 0.05 and 0.2 µg grain^?1 among cultivars tested, with the highest Fe content in cv. Sakha. Iron concentration in white rice was negatively correlated with total Fe content in the bran fraction, which is lost during the polishing process to produce white rice from brown rice (r = ? 0.82**). The partitioning of Fe between the endosperm and bran seemed to play a key role in achieving high Fe concentration in the white rice. The surface cell layers of the caryopsis appeared to be the main resistance of Fe partitioning into the endosperm (white rice) as there was a significantly negative correlation between Fe concentration in the white rice and Fe content in the bran, which is lost during the polishing process. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of rice properties and emulsifiers on the quality of rice pasta

Two commercial rice flours (GTIndica and GTJaponica, with amylose contents of 306.8 and 185.2 g kg^?1 respectively) and their blended flours were used to make rice pasta. The effects of two emulsifiers (distilled glyceryl monostearate (GMS) and a commercial emulsifier (KM3000)) on the pasting and thermal properties of dried rice pasta were investigated using a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The rice pasta made from high‐amylose rice flour had better extrusion properties, better texture, whiter colour, less cooking loss and better eating quality than that made from low‐amylose rice flour. The maximum amount of low‐amylose rice flour that could be blended in for making an acceptable quality of rice pasta was 500 g kg^?1. A soft texture, low adhesiveness and low gumminess of cooked rice pasta were obtained by adding 10 g kg^?1 GMS. SEM investigations showed that use of an emulsifier restricted the swelling of starch granules, especially for the pasta made from high‐amylose rice flour. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Analytical composition and rumen degradability of isogenic and transgenic corn varieties

Two different corn cultivars were compared with their genetically modified counterparts containing the gene coding for the Cry1A(b) protein of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). There were no analytical differences between the conventional and transgenic genotype kernels, whereas stovers from Bt⁺ plants had higher sugar (148.3 g kg^?1 versus 115.9 g kg^?1; P < 0.01) and lower NDF (592.7 g kg^?1 versus 631.5 g kg^?1; P < 0.05) contents than Bt^? maize. A comparison of the amino acid profiles showed higher phenylalanine content in kernels from the Bt⁺ plants (49.1 g kg^?1 vs 47.8 g kg^?1; P < 0.05) which was, however, not reflected in the protein content. The initial dry matter rumen degradability of the isogenic kernels was higher than that of Bt⁺ varieties (569.5 g kg^?1 vs 543.7 g kg^?1; P < 0.05), whereas the lower fibre content increased the dry matter (548.6 g kg^?1 vs 526.6 g kg^?1; P < 0.01) and protein (695.6 g kg^?1 vs 647.9 g kg^?1; P < 0.01) degradability after 24 h of incubation in stovers from Bt⁺ plants. The NDF degradability was higher in Bt^? corn varieties because of the higher proportion of hemicellulose in the total fibre. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Composition of the seeds of some Amaranthus species

The seeds of the five commonly consumed Amaranthus species have been analysed for their chemical composition and starch characteristics. A notably high fat, protein and ash content in the seeds of a sample of A. teunifolious as compared with other species has been demonstrated. All the samples analysed had a high oxalate and phytic acid content. The size of the starch granules from all the samples was in the range 08.2.3μm and the circular shape of granules from all the species was strikingly similar. Amaranthus polygamous and A. gracilis had low amylose starches (111.7 and 97.1 g kg^?1, respectively), and A. spinosus and A. teunifolious had appreciable proportions of amylose (166.7 and 245.0 g kg^?1, respectively).     

Assessment of nutritional compounds and antinutritional factors in pea (Pisum sativum) seeds

The nutrient and antinutritional factor content of 18 pea lines was studied. The following levels were found: non‐protein nitrogen 5.2–10.2 g kg^?1 DM, protein nitrogen 35.3–42.4 g kg^?1 DM, lysine 50.7–76.3 g kg^?1 protein DM, histidine 17.8–24.8 g kg^?1 protein DM, tyrosine 22.6–30.0 g kg^?1 protein DM, protein 25.9–31.9% DM, in vitro protein digestibility 89.3–95.6%, vitamin B₁ 5.9–10.3 mg kg^?1 DM, vitamin B₂ 1.1–3.7 mg kg^?1 DM, sucrose 11.6–25.4 g kg^?1 DM, raffinose 4.1–10.3 g kg^?1 DM, stachyose 10.7–26.7 g kg^?1 DM, verbascose 0.0–26.7 g kg^?1 DM, total α‐galactosides 22.6–63.4 g kg^?1 DM, trypsin inhibitor activity 0.8–8.4 TIU mg^?1 DM, inositol hexaphosphate 2.3–6.5 g kg^?1 DM, inositol pentaphosphate 0.1–1.8 g kg^?1 DM and total inositol phosphates 2.8–7.1 g kg^?1 DM. Peas with yellow cotyledons had the highest trypsin inhibitor activities, those with light green cotyledons had the highest lysine contents, and those with dark green cotyledons were the richest in vitamins B₁ and B₂. Peas with brown testae had the lowest verbascose and sucrose contents, while they were the richest in inositol hexaphosphate. Smaller peas were characterised by the highest protein nitrogen contents as well as the highest contents of vitamins B₁ and B₂, verbascose and inositol pentaphosphate. Peas of medium size showed the lowest verbascose, α‐galactoside and vitamin B₂ contents. Bigger peas showed the lowest inositol pentaphosphate contents. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Sugar content of swedes for stockfeeding

The sugar content was determined of 19 cultivars of swede (Brassica napus ssp rapifera L) grown in rows 50 and 75 cm apart. Sugar concentration ranged from 54.3 to 78.7 g kg^?1 fresh weight and was positively correlated with dry matter content which ranged from 90.4 to 138.7 g kg^?1 fresh weight. The average concentration of fructose, glucose and sucrose in the dry matter was 225.0, 328.4 and 34.5 g kg^?1 DM, respectively. The high-dry-matter cultivars tended to have less fructose and more sucrose than the low-dry-matter ones, but total sugar concentration in the dry matter was not associated with dry-matter content. Row width had little effect on sugar content compared with the differences between cultivars. The implications for the feeding value of swedes are discussed.     

Effects of cultivar and soil fertility on grain protein yield,grain protein content,flour yield and breadmaking quality of wheat

Grain protein content affects the flour yield and breadmaking characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L). In this study, grain protein yield, grain protein content, flour yield and loaf volume were quantified for four wheat cultivars (Inia, Carina, Kariega and SST 86) grown under six different soil fertility regimes in a long-term fertilisation and irrigation experiment at the University of Pretoria. The experimental design was a randomised complete block replicated four times, with fertility as the main plots and cultivars as the subplot treatments. Grain protein yield, flour yield, loaf volume and mixograph dough peak mixing time varied among cultivars and soil fertility situations. Grain protein content differed among cultivars, but mixograph water absorption and dough characteristics did not differ. The highest grain protein yield was 873 kg ha⁻¹ for Carina and the lowest 527 kg ha⁻¹ for SST 86. Grain protein content averaged 131 g kg⁻¹ for Carina and 122 g kg⁻¹ for Kariega. Breadmaking performance showed that in a well-balanced soil fertility situation, Kariega produced 1025 cm³ of loaf volume while Inia averaged 950 cm³. Grain protein yield increased with increasing soil fertility, but grain protein content, flour yield, loaf volume, water absorption and mixograph peak mixing time varied with soil fertility. The interaction between cultivar and soil fertility was significant for grain protein yield, grain protein content, flour yield, loaf volume and water absorption but not dough peak mixing time. The results indicate cultivar differences in breadmaking quality characteristics and that soil fertility status affects grain protein yield, grain protein content, flour yield, loaf volume potential and water absorption but not mixograph peak mixing time and dough characteristics. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of tillage and nitrogen fertilisation on triticale grain yield,chemical composition and nutritive value

BACKGROUND: Given the interest in the development of cultivation systems with low agronomic input and environmental impact, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of tillage system (conventional tillage (CT), two‐layer tillage (TT), surface tillage (ST) and minimum tillage (MT)) and nitrogen (N) fertilisation rate (0, 50 and 100 kg ha^?1) on triticale grain and protein yields, chemical composition and nutritive value. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among tillage treatments in grain and protein yields. ST resulted in significantly higher crude protein (CP) and true soluble protein (TSP) contents as well as in vitro crude protein digestibility (CPD). Neutral detergent fibre concentration was significantly higher with ST than with MT, and this led to a small reduction (2 g kg^?1 dry matter (DM)) in in vitro true DM digestibility (IVTDMD). N fertilisation significantly increased grain and protein yields as well as CP, non‐protein nitrogen and TSP contents and CPD. IVTDMD was significantly lower with 0 kg N ha^?1 than with 50 and 100 kg N ha^?1. CONCLUSION: Reducing tillage intensity improved the CP content and CPD of triticale grain. The application of 50 kg N ha^?1 resulted in good grain quality parameters and grain and protein yields. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of NaCl on textural changes and protein and lipid degradation during the ripening stage of sufu,a Chinese fermented soybean food

Sufu is made by solid state fungal fermentation (using Actinomucor elegans) of tofu, followed by salting and maturation in dressing mixtures containing salt, alcohol and various other ingredients. NaCl in dressing mixtures strongly affected the changes in textural properties and the hydrolysis of protein and lipid of sufu. Higher salt contents (14% w/w) resulted in increased hardness (+100%) and elasticity (+18%) and reduced adhesiveness (?30%). Hardness and elasticity could be used to judge the extent of sufu ripening. SDS‐PAGE showed the disappearance of all protein subunits at 80 and 110 g kg^?1 salt content; however, some protein subunits were still detectable at 140 g kg^?1 salt content after 60 days of ripening. Higher ratios of free amino nitrogen to total nitrogen (FAN/TN = 0.4–0.45) and free amino acids to crude protein (FAA/CP = 0.24–0.26) were observed in sufu with lower (80 g kg^?1) salt content. FAN/TN and FAA/CP in white sufu (obtained with dressing mixtures containing only salt and alcohol) were higher than those in red sufu (obtained with dressing mixtures containing angkak or kojic red rice) owing to different dressing mixture compositions. Increases in free fatty acids (FFA) were also observed during ripening. FFA levels in sufu with lower salt content increased rapidly during the first 30–40 days and then increased slowly, probably resulting from the formation of fatty acid esters. Lowering the salt content (80 g kg^?1) can shorten the ripening time to 40 days, which is of benefit to manufacturers. However, sufu will spoil, ie undergo souring, during the ripening stage at salt contents of 50 g kg^?1 or lower. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physicochemical and functional properties of ten cultivars of seem (Lablab purpureus L.), an underexploited bean in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Increasing global protein consumption has led to the demand for new sources of food protein, particularly plant sources. Many inexpensive but protein‐rich bean cultivars have not been well evaluated and are thus underutilised. In this study the physicochemical and functional properties of seeds of ten seem cultivars were assessed. RESULTS: In agreement with their sizes, seeds of Airet had the highest 1000‐seed weight and volume, while those of Bari had the lowest. In terms of proximate composition (g kg^?1), protein content ranged from 240.08 (Ashina) to 292.63 (Puti), fat content from 31.47 (Goalgadda) to 38.40 (Puti), ash content from 32.80 (Puli) to 45.53 (Goalgadda) and fibre content from 21.90 (Tatulia) to 28.90 (Noldog). Hydration (g kg^?1) and swelling (mL L^?1) capacities ranged from 1688.60 and 1850.43 (Goalgadda) to 1999.40 and 2208.66 (Rupbhan) respectively. Similarly, cooking time (min) varied from 114 (Rupbhan) to 179 (Goalgadda). Lowest gelation concentration was in the range 80–100 g kg^?1. Water and fat absorption capacities (g kg^?1) ranged from 941.00 and 644.44 (Ashina) to 1043.33 and 749.26 (Puti) respectively. Foaming capacity and stability (mL L^?1) ranged from 443 (Puli) to 635 (Puti) and from 314 (Ashina) to 643 (Rupbhan) respectively. CONCLUSION: Seeds of seem cultivars appear to be a promising food in terms of their protein content and functionality. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of rice variety,rice flour concentration and enzyme levels on composite bread quality

A study was conducted to determine the suitability of substituting portions of wheat flours with rice flours for breadmaking. The levels of substitution were 50, 100, 150 and 200 g kg^?1. Two kinds of enzymes, barley malt and fungal amylase, were added to composite flours, and their effects on the volume and quality of the rice-based bread were determined. The results showed that the enzymes, levels of replacement and the varieties of rice had significant effects on weight, specific volume and overall acceptability of the bread samples. However, the enzymes did not have significant effects on the volume, protein and fat contents or on the character and color of the crust in the sensory analysis. Comparisons were made of the nutritional and sensory qualities of the bread made entirely from wheat flour, and the sample which performed best, the bread with 50 g kg^?1 of flour from low amylose variety (183.3 g kg^?1) with barley malt, showed non-significant differences. The overall acceptability of the products showed that it is acceptable to substitute wheat flour with flours generated from rice up to the 150 g kg^?1 replacement level only.     

Iron,zinc and phytic acid content of selected rice varieties from China

Rice is the major Chinese staple food (per capita approx 250 g day^?1) and, as such, is an important source of essential minerals. However, due to a number of factors the bio‐availability of these minerals is limited. In this study, the variation of phytic acid (PA), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) levels in 56 varieties of Chinese rice was investigated. The samples included in this study were collected in proportion to the importance of the rice‐growing regions in China. Fe levels showed the biggest variation (9–45 mg kg^?1) and were not related with PA content or grain shape although growing locations were identified yielding higher (25.2 mg kg^?1) and lower (14.2 mg kg^?1) Fe levels. Zn showed a moderate variability (13–39 mg kg^?1), which was narrower than for Fe, while broader than for PA (7.2–11.9 g kg^?1). Zn content is correlated (R² = 0.5; P < 0.01) with PA content, and shows a relation with growing region and kernel shape. Variation of PA content is the least among the three components. Molar ratios of PA to Fe and Zn ranged from 15 to 105 and 27 to 67, respectively. The results of the mineral contents and PA content can be interpreted in terms of expected bio‐availability. This study shows that the mineral bio‐availability of Chinese rice varieties will be <4%. Despite the variation in mineral contents, in all cases the PA present is expected to render most mineral present unavailable. We conclude that there is scope for optimisation of mineral contents of rice by matching suitable varieties and growing regions, and that rice products require processing that retains minerals but results in thorough dephytinisation. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Biochemical composition of two red seaweed species grown on the Brazilian coast

BACKGROUND: Algae species have been used as an important source of food because they are highly nutritive considering their vitamin, protein, mineral, fiber, essential fatty acid and carbohydrate contents. However, a large number of seaweeds have been poorly studied, especially Brazilian species. Two red macroalgae species from the Brazilian coast (Plocamium brasiliense and Ochtodes secundiramea) were assessed with respect to their total lipid, fatty acid, total nitrogen, protein, amino acid and total carbohydrate contents. RESULTS: The total lipid contents (dry weight) were 36.3 and 35.4 g kg^?1; fatty acid contents were 9.3 and 12.1 g kg^?1; total nitrogen contents were 37.4 and 24.9 g kg^?1; protein contents were 157.2 and 101.0 g kg^?1; amino acid contents were 127.5 and 91.4 g kg^?1; and total carbohydrate contents were 520.3 and 450.7 g kg^?1 for P. brasiliense and O. secundiramea, respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering these compositions, both algae species were determined to have sources of protein, essential amino acids and carbohydrates similar to the edible seaweeds Laminaria japonica and Palmaria palmata. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Interrelationships among seed yield, total protein and amino acid composition of ten quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) cultivars from two different agroecological regions

BACKGROUND: Quinoa is a good source of protein and can be used as a nutritional ingredient in food products. This study analyses how much growing region and/or seasonal climate might affect grain yield and nutritional quality of quinoa seeds. RESULTS: Seeds of ten quinoa cultivars from the Andean highlands (Bolivia/Argentina site) and Argentinean Northwest (Encalilla site) were analysed for seed yield, protein content and amino acid composition. Grain yields of five cultivars growing at Encalilla were higher, and four were lower, compared with data from the Bolivia/Argentina site. Protein contents ranged from 91.5 to 155.3 and from 96.2 to 154.6 g kg^?1 dry mass for Encalilla and Bolivia/Argentina seeds respectively, while essential amino acid concentrations ranged from 179.9 to 357.2 and from 233.7 to 374.5 g kg^?1 protein respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between the content of essential amino acids and protein percentage. CONCLUSION: It appears that there are clear variations in seed yield, total protein content and amino acid composition among cultivars from the two sites. Essential amino acid composition was more affected than grain yield and protein level. The study revealed that both environmental and climatic factors influence the nutritional composition of quinoa cultivars growing in different agroecological regions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nutritional quality of uncultivated cereal grains utilised as famine foods in western sudan as measured by chemical analysis

The chemical composition of the grain of a number of wild grasses used as food in times of famine in western Sudan are reported and compared with those of the local staple cereals. Species investigated were Cenchrus hiflorus (haskaneet). Dactyloctenium aegyptium (korecb). Echinochloa colona (difra) and Oryza punctata (ruz el wadi). The grain of all species except C biflorus had protein contents in the range 110-140 g kg^?1, broadly similar to those of the local staple cereals. The grain of C biflours possessed a particularly high protein content of 210 g kg^?1. The nutritional quality of the proteins as measured by their chemical scores ranged from 20 for C biflorus to 65 for O punctata compared with scores of 36 and 58 for the local sorghum var Kurgi and millet respectively. Lysine was the limiting amino acid in all cases. Whilst the composition of the protein of sorghum var Kurgi was typical of sorghum generally, that of var Karamaka was unusual in possessing lysine levels of 3.4 g (16 g N)¹, double that normally present in sorghum and raising the chemical score of the protein to 62. The ash content of the famine food cereals was high, attaining 113 g kg¹ in C biflorus. All grains were good sources of zinc and D aegyptium. O punctata and E colonum additionally contained comparatively high levels of iron. Remarkably for a cereal D aegyptium was also very rich in calcium, containing over 10 g kg¹, and possessed high concentrations of manganese. Carbohydrate content of the famine food grains varied from 617 g kg¹ for C biflorus to 748 g kg¹ for O punctata, values comparable to the local staple cereals. The proportion of starch in this fraction ranged from 650 g kg¹ in D aegyptium to 940 g kg¹ in O punctata. Seed oils of all species were predominantly unsaturated containing mainly oleic and linoleic acids.