Use of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in non-dairy formulas. I. Chemical composition and nutritive quality of chickpeas and a comparison with commercial infant formulas

A study was carried out to determine, in rats, the chemical composition and protein quality determinations: PER, NPR and NPU of chick-pea, milk powder and two different commercial infant formulas for babies with lactose intolerance. The formulas studied were "Casec" (calcium caseinate), "Sobee" (soy flour), "Plenilac" (milk powder) and cooked chick-pea flour, alone or supplemented with methionine and/or tryptophan. The protein and fat contents of "Casec" were 88 and 2%, respectively, while chick-pea, "Sobee" and "Plenilac" exhibited 18.9 and 8%, 22 and 18%, 26 and 28%, respectively. The four products were deficient in sulfur amino acids, with "Sobee" exhibiting the lowest chemical score (57), followed by chick-pea (62), "Casec" (68) and "Plenilac" (82). The chick-pea supplemented with methionine was deficient in valine (C.S. 76). The higher values of PER, NPR and NPU were obtained with the chick-pea supplemented with methionine, and with the "Plenilac" samples, while chick-pea without amino acid supplementation, however, had a protein quality similar to "Casec" and to "Sobee". According to these results, therefore, chick-pea alone or supplemented with methionine can be utilized as a milk substitute in malnourished children with lactose intolerance.