Protein Value and the Amino Acid Deficiencies of Various Algae for Growth of Rats and Chicks

Abstract

Chicks and weanling rats were fed diets containing the algae Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella ellipsoida, or Chlorella pyrenoidosa, or Spongiococcum excentricum as the sole source of protein. All of the algae tested were inferior to the control diets in which soybean oil meal, supplemented with methionine or casein, served as the protein source for chicks and rats, respectively. The animals receiving the control diets showed superior weight gains and protein efficiency ratios. Of the algae tested, the mixture of S. obliquus and C. ellipsoida was superior to either of the other algae fed singly. Data were presented showing all of the algae tested to be deficient in methionine for the growing rat and chick. The mixture of algae was also deficient in glycine for the chick and the algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa was found to be deficient in histidine for the growing rat.