ABSTRACTThe protozoanTetrahymena pyriformisW was used to assess protein quality in two cultivars and three experimental lines of lentils. Cooked, freeze‐dried lentil powders and two protein fractions (legumin albumin) were evaluated and showed small but significant (P<0.05) differences. The protein in whole (nonfractionated) lentil powder supported 15–19 of the growth supported by the control protein, casein; two of the experimental breeding lines supported moreTetrahymenagrowth than did the cultivars. The albumin fractions supported almost three times more growth and the legumins supported slightly growth than did the lentil powders. Supplementation studies with intact lentil powders showed sulfur‐containing amino acids to be first limiting. Lentil powders with essential amino acids added to simulate casein produced less than half as much growth as did c
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