Peas, Supplemented with Wheat Germ or Corn Germ, as a Source of Protein for Growth

Abstract

A study of the quality of the proteins of wheat germ and of corn germ as a supplement for peas has been made using the growth-promoting method with young rats. When used as the sole source of protein both of the products studied compared favorably with whole egg protein in rat of gain but the corn germ was significantly less efficient. As a supplement for whole peas, wheat germ in equal proportions or as 25% wheat germ to 75% cooked peas had as good a growth-promoting value as peas supplemented with 0.3% dl-methionine. Corn germ, fed in equal proportions with peas, produced as good results as the methionine diet but was not as efficient as methionine when used as 25% of the mixture. Neither product as 12.5% to 87.5% peas gave as good results as 0.3% dl-methionine added to peas. Under the conditions of this experiment, the wheat germ product used was a better supplement for peas than the corn germ.