Amino Acid Composition of Food in

By SINPATIRO TAMURA

Chief, Food Analysis Laboratory, Analysis Division, Food Research Institute

The trend in gradual increase of Japanese consequence to the increase in national protein intake has continuously been witnessed income, the increase in livestock products such in recent years, and it can be assumed that it as meats, egg and dairy products is being has practically reached the requirement at witnessed. Among the Amino Acid Composi­ present. However, because of the fact that tion Table of Japanese foods, the amino acid nutritional value of protein differs by amino composition is included not only in those foods acid composition which constitutes the pro­ which are important protein resource but in tein, a demand has arisen to clarify the amino the foods normally eaten by Japanese such acid composition of the major foods of the as fruits, vegetables, fungi, seaweeds and Japanese people. beverages and others. There are 152 foods In order to comply with such a demand 'The as recorded hereunder. Amino Acid Composition of Foods in Japan, (1) Oatmeal, (2) barley, (3) naked barley, 1966' was compiled after several years of (4) soft flour, (5) medium flour, (6) hard actual measurement and study by establishing flour, (7) white bread, (8) "", (9) "fu", the Committee for Amino Acid with the Re­ dried, (10) fully milled , (11) buckwheat source Bureau of the Science and Technology flour, (12) corn flakes, (13) sweet potato, (14) Agency and under the cooperation of the dasheen, taro, (15) potato, (16) unrefined Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Minis­ , (17) Japanese chestnuts, (18) walnuts, try of Welfare and various related agencies (19) sesame seeds, (20) peanuts, shelled, (21) such as universities. "azuki" beans, (22) "sarashi-an", (23) kidney The completion of this table made it pos­ beans, (24) peas, (25) "sasage" beans, (26) sible to fully comprehend more than ever the broad beans, (27) soybeans, (28) soybean amino acid composition of the Japanese diet. curd, "", (29) congealed soybean curd, And it can be safely assumed that the table (30) "yuba", (31) "okara", (32) "natto", (33) will benefit in some measure various South­ "ama-", (34) "kara-miso", (35) "mame­ east Asian countries whose national diets are miso", (36) jack mackerel, (37) cong·er eel, similar to that of the Japanese. (38) "iwashi", sardine, (39) eel, (40) marlin and , ( 41) skipjack, ( 42) dried strips Foods recorded in the amino acid com­ of skipjack, (43) , (44) crap, (45) position table salmon, (46) salmon , salted, (47) mackerel, (48) pacific saury, (49) "", (50) fish Important protein resources in the Japa­ , (51) "satsuma-age", (52) "hanpen", nese foods heretofore were cereals, fishery (53) "", (54) reel sea-bream, (55) cod and soybean products. But commensurate and pollack, ( 56) pollack roe, salted, ( 57) with the change in national diet pattern in loach, (58) flying fish, (59) herring, (60) goby, 57 (61) , (62) crucian , (63) yellow­ foods accounting for 51 items are fish and tail, ( 64) mullet, ( 65) , lean meat, ( 66) , and in these fishery products edible tuna, fatty meat, (67) yellow-fin tuna, (68) portions are being used. pink salmon, (69) rainbow , (70) ark shell, In the case of fruits and vegetables, the (71) short-neck clam, (72) , (73) , ratio of free amino acid content in the total (74) top shell, (75) corbicula, (76) hen clam, amino acid content is considerably high and (77) clam, (78) , (79) mysis, (80) as it has been assumed that free amino acid squid, (81) of roe, seasoned, fluctuates by ripening stage, etc., it is neces­ (82) tiger prawn, (83) "shiba-ebi", shrimp, sary to conduct further study on those foods (84) crab, (85) octopus, (86) sea cucumber, by using more materials. (87) rabbit meat, (88) beef, (89) beef liver, (90) (91) chicken, (92) Analysis method of amino acid chicken liver, (93) horsemeat, (94) mutton, (95) pork, (96) pork liver, (97) loin roll The quantitative determination of amino ham, (98) bacon, (99) Vienna sausage, (100) acid has been made on 18 kinds: isoleucine, whole egg, (101) yolk, (102) eg'g white, (103) leucine, lysine, methionine, cystine, phenylala­ cow's milk, (104) cream, (105) processed nine, tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, cheese, ( 106) human milk, ( 107) goat's milk, arginine, histidine, alanine, aspartic acid, (108) pumpkin, (109) carrot, (110) spinach, glutamic acid, glycine, proline and serine. (111) turnip, (112) cabbage, (113) cucumber, Among them, amino acids other than trypto­ 014) burdock, (115) kidney beans with pod, phan, cystine and tyrosine have been measured immature, (116) peas with pod, immature, by microbiological assay or ion exchange ( 117) watermelon, ( 118) broad beans, im­ chromatography using amino acid analyzer mature, (119) Japanese root, (120) after HCJ hydrolysis. For the measurement "", salted radish, (121) , of tryptophan microbiological assay1> has main­ (122) onion, (123) corn, immature, (124) ly been used after alkaline hydrolysis, for cys­ tomato, (125) eggplant, (126) Welsh onion, tine, performic acid oxidation method,21 and (127) Chinese cabbage, (128) Chinese cab­ for tyrosine, colorimetric method"1 using 1- bage, salted, (129) Indian lotus root, (130) ni troso-2 naph tol. summer orange, (131) citrns Unshiu, (132) Based upon the measured values of each strawberry, (133) fig, (134) Japanese per­ amino acid obtained by the above analysis simmon, (135) Japanese pear, ( 136) banana, methods and with the reference data·•>. •> prac­ (137) loquat, ( 138) grape, (139) peach, (140) tical value of the amino acid content of each apple, ( 141) Lentinus edodes, fresh, ( 142) food has been determined. The practical value common mushroom, champignon, ( 143) Tri­ of the amino acid composition table has been choloma , (144) purple laver, (145) indicated by the following two methods: tangle, (146) Hijilcia fusiformis, (147) Un­ 1. Amino acid grams per gram nitrogen dciria pinncitifi

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"' "'' _g_ i. i "' 1;: i3 uc.~uVi _Q_____!-_ i.3 ~ 'f Folly miU,4 ,iu: . 987 . 92) . 876 . 9$3 , 910 • 948 • 842 • 976 • 693 . 956 . 953 . 977 . 973 . 968 . 979 • 966 . 9S8 . 973 • 970 • 964 . 961 • 957 • 956 . 983 • 927 • 79S . 862 . 927 . 939 Oatm eal .987 . 9S3 . 929 . 951 • 929 • 916 . 793 • 971 • 636 .960 . 955 . 972 . 983 . 963 . 977 . 953 .940 .9S6 . 963 . 954 . 942 • 934 . 965 . 982 . 948 . 85S . 840 . 931 . 96< Barley . 921 . 953 . 985 . 81' . 937 • 79$ . 66S • 885 • -181 . 913 . 877 . 898 .917 . 888 • 919 • 864 . 848 • 860 • 888 . 878 . 854 . 839 . 963 . 908 .907 . 863. 716 .843 . 950 Ha:rd flaur . 876 . 929 . 985 . 845 . 920 . 740 . 578 • 858 • 425 • 885 • 8S7 • 860 . 89S • 856 , 883 , 825 , 191 • 814 • 849 . 837 .sos . 785 .936 . 877 . 900 . 907 . 66l . 828 . 940 1s~c\1r~u1 r! o,r .953 . 9SJ . 874 .S..5 . 8'S . 899 . 816 • 959 . 630 . 91' . 980 . 975 .959 . 994 . 980 . 961 . 960 . 979 . 965 . 968 . 960 • 9S2 • 916 . 969 .964 . 749 .91S . 907 . 917 Corn Hakes . 910 . 929 . 937 . 920 .845 • 797 . 700 • 860 . 476 . $$8 , 828 .875 . 883 . 871 .889 . 852 .857 . 855 . 883 , 86-4 • 856 • 855 • 930 : 884 . 840 . 766 ,691 . 827 . 939 Swt'e-t pouto • 948 . 916 • 79S • 7•0 , 899 , 797 , 892 • 968 • 865 . 853 • 892 • 936 . 938 • 922 .93S . 936 .923 . 94S . 918 • 924. , 924 , 926 • 878 , 9$1 . 817 . 716 .871 . 936 . 878 Ou!.tH,Tato .842. 793 . 665 . 578 .816 , 700 • 892 • 828 • 70] • 793 • 760 • 840 , 829 • 839 . 845 . 835 . S64 .862 . 823 . 848 . 8S4 • 912 • 779 . 816 . 684 . 433 . &25 • 750 • 755 l~~ tato . 976 . 911 . 885 . 858 . 959 . 860 .968 . 828 . 761 . 923 • 953 • 980 • 98S • 972 . 980 . 976 . 9St . 973 . 968 . 967 . 959 . 941 .9U . 992 . 91S . 828 .873 . 962 . 943 ... l'nr,ftu-41.uot • 693 . 636 . 481 . 425 . 630 • 476 . 865 . 701 . 761 . 526 • 6$3 • 673 . 617 • 653 • 670 , 673 • 642 . 687 . 629 . 643 .649 . 640 . 578 . 708 . sos . 514 .703 . 774 . 587 Sun1t ,r,4• . 9S6 .960 . 913 . 885 .97" . 888 • 8S3 • 793 • 923 • 526 . 967 , 9,19 . 943 . 972 . 960 . 928 .938 , 9SO , 9'4 . 940 . 930 . 932 . 919 .948 . 968 . 7SS .868 . 862 . 912 QI P('anut,; . 9S3 .955 . 817 . 857 .980 • 828 • 892 . 760 • 9S3 • 6S3 , 967 , 959 , 953 , 975 0 . 960 . 936 . 92J . 953 . 937 . 93l . 922. . 911 • S.9S . 96S . 97.. . 809 . 880 . 9)6 . 891 :a • Ar.1ki bu11_,. . 917 .972 •. 898 . 860 .975 .87S . 936 . 840 .980 . 673 . 949 , 959 . 981 . 987 . 994 . 989 .977 . 988 . 990 . 988 . 984 . 970 .960 .990 . 933 • 788 , 874 . 939 • 946 OS 1-:Uur lioH . 973 . 983 . 91? . 89S .959 • 883 • 938 . 829 • 98S • 677 . 943 . 953 . 987 . 974 . 988 . 971 .9S3 . 967 . 971 . 970 . 959 . 950 .966 . 988 . 930 . 841 .850 . 951 .962 E-< "r>'!.a.~ . 968 . 963 . 888 . 8$6 . 99, . 87 J • 922 • 839 . 972 • 6S3 . 912 . 975 . 98i . 974 . 991 . 973 . 970 • 986 , 976 . 97S . 970 . 965 .939 . 970 • 951 • 758 . 898 • 921 • 938 $1,1o)' 1)u n t1 .979 .977 , 919 . 883 .980 • 889 • 93S • 84S . 980 • 670 • 960 • 960 . 994 • 988 • 991 , 980 • 972 , 985 . 982: . 985 . 975 • 967 • 968 . 989 • 939 • 181 . 881 . 93Z • 961 Fh,tfi.ith • 966 . 953 . 864 . 825 . 961 .8S2 . 936 .835 .976 . 6?3 .928 .936 . 989 .971 . 973 . 980 • 983 • 992 • 99S • 994 • 993 • 969 . 946 . 984 . 914 . 773 . 873 . 92• . 933 M M kcrel • 958 , 940 , 848 • 797 • 960 . 8S7 . 923 . 864 . 9Sl . 6<42 . 938 .921 .97i . 953 . 970 • 972 . 983 • 988 . 988 . 988 . 99S , 975 . 926 . 965 .901 . 695 .905 . 913 . 913 Cl-.rl"I . 973 ,956 . 860 . 814 . 979 .ass . 945 . S62 . 973 . 687 . 950 • 9S3 • 988 . 967 • 986 . 98S . 992 .988 . 990 . 992 . 990 . 978 . 930 • 984 • 925 • 738 , 911 • 923 • 925 Bee-I . 970 . 963 . 888 .849 . 96$ . 883 . 918 . 823 . 968 . 629 • 94'4 , 937 , 990 , 971 • 976 . 982 . 995 .988 .990 . 994 . 995 • 969 • 9S5 . 982 . 92$ .11• . 866 . 9.23 . 940 C hick~n . 964 . 954 . 878 . 831 ,968 • 864 • 924 . 848 • 967 • 643 . 940 . 931 • 9$8 . 970 • 978 . 985 . 994 .988 . 992 . 994 • 994 • 980 • 9S" • 976 .919 . 751 . 883 .914 . 9'4 Pork . 961 .942 . 854 . sos .960 . 856 • 924 . 854 . 959 • 649 . 930 . 922 • 984 . 9S9 . 970 . 97S . 993 . 99S . 990 . 995 , 994 . 9" , 938 • 970 . 901 . 720 . 883 . 916 . 918 \\'hole ci;cJ:: • 957 • 934 • 839 , 785 • 952 .855 . 926 .912 .941 . 640 • 932 . 911 . 970 . 950 . 96S . 967 .969 . 975 . 978 . 969 . 980 . 977 . 926 . 947 . SS6 . 664 .875 .877 . 911 Cow's milk • 956 . 965 . 963 . 936 . 916 • 930 • 878 • 179 . 944 • 578 . 919 • 895 • 960 . 966 . 939 .968 .946 .926 . 930 . 95S . 9$4 . 938 • 926 . 954 . 898 . 829 . 769 • 895 • 978 $pin;ic:h • 983 . 982 • gos . s;; . 969 . $8.4 • 9Sl . 816 . 992 • 708 . 948 . 965 . 990 , 988 . 980 • 989 . 98' . 965 • 984 . 982 . 976 .970 .947 .954 • 937 . 831 . 877 • 956 • 9$1 Oni on . 927 . 948 . 907 . 900 . 964 .840 . 817 . 684 . 91S . 508 . 968 .974 . 933 . 9·30 .95J . 939 . 914 .901 . 925 . 925 .919 .901 . 886 .898 .937 . 827 . 84-8 . 869 . 902 Tomato • 795 , 855 . 863 , 90; , 749 . 766 . 716 , 433 .828 . 514 . 755 .809 . 788 . 841 . 7S8 , 787 • 773 , 695 . 738 • 174 . 751 .720 664 . 829 . 831 • 827 . 568 • 836 • 839 Ci1ru liu~i, . 862 . 840 . ?16 . 661 .91S • 691 • 877 • 825 , 873 , 703 . 868 . 880 . 81' . 8SO . ~98 . 881 . 873 . 90S . 9JJ . 866 . S83 • 883 • 87S . 769 • 877 , 848 . 568 . 839 • 793 a ....,.. . 927 .93 1 . 8"3 . 828 .907 • 821 • 936 • 75-0 , 962 , 77', . 862 , 916 . 939 . 9SI .92l . 932 . 924 . 9l3 . 923 . 923 , 9)4 , 916 • 877 , 895 , 956 . 869 . 836 .839 . 901 ·s~oy11·~or1.uc, • 939 , 9&4 , 950 . 940 • 917 . 939 . 878 . 7S5 .943 .587 . 912 .891 . 946 . 962 .938 . 961 . 933 .913 .925 . 940 . 94' .918 . 911 . 978 . 9SI . 902 . 839 .793 . 901 60 JARQ Vol. 5, No. 2, 1970 substantiates quantitatively what has been said The pattern similarity rate becomes 1 when of protein nutrition of Japanese heretofore, two patterns are the same and when the pat­ that is, it is necessary to intake animal pro­ terns do not contain any same component it tein in each meal or soybean products as the becomes 0 , and the more the patterns are substitute. As the lysine and methionine are similar the value approaches 1. Table 2 in­ essential amino acids usually lacking in vegeta­ dicates the pattern similarity rate of 30 ble foods, it is rational to supplement by ani­ selected foods listed in Table 1. For instance, mal foods. the most similar amino acid patterns among The soybean and Azuki bean used by Japa­ 30 foods are between beef and pork and beef nese for eons of age are high in lysine content and flatfish. In both cases the pattern simi­ compared with other vegetable foods and such larity rate is 0.995. The most unsimilar pat­ beans have played a complementary role to tern is between hard flour and unrefined sugar, supplement amino acid composition of protein and the similarity rate is 0.425. in rice. Therefore, it can be said that Japa­ Since the Amino Acid Composition of Japa­ nese were clever in their art of Living. nese Foods and the Amino Acid Pattern Simi­ About half of the animal protein intaken larity Table was completed, we have reached by J apanese is from fish and shellfish. Because the stage to distinguish food with respect to the protein of fish meat has practically the amino acid. That is, in the case of ordinary same amino acid composition as animal meat, foods it is possible to comprehend the amino it has been clarified that fish meat has the same acid content of a food; and on the other hand, nutrition value as animal meat. Japanese are if there is amino acid analysis value of food polyphagia and as the diet pattern is expected it is possible to estimate what kind is that to become more diversified. In consequence food. those 152 kinds of food can not be termed as sufficient and it is necessary to further deter­ References mine a practical value of amino acid composi­ tion of more foods. 1) Green, A. and Black, A.: J. Biol. Che1n., 155 Recently the similarity of amino acid pat­ (1) (1944). 2) Schram, E. Moore, S. and Bigwood, E. J.: terns mutually among those 152 foods were Biocheni. J . 57 , 33 (1954). calculated and printed.6) . In the pattern simi­ 3) Udenfriend, S. and Cooper, J . R. : J . Biol. larity rate the pattern composed by numerical Cheni. 196, 227 (1952). value group has been assumed as the direction 4) Orr, M. L. and Watt, B. K.: Amino Acid of a vector of high dimensional space and the Content of Foods. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, cosine of (6) between two vectors is used. Washington, D.C. (1957). 5) McCance, R. A. and Widdowson, E. W.: '!'he Accordingly, the pattern similarity rate S (A, Composition of Foods. Her Majesty's Sta­ B) between the pattern A (a,, a2 .. . a .. ) and tionery Office, London (1960). the pattern B (b,, b2 ... b,,) is: 6) Tamura, S. and Osawa, F.: J. of Javanese So­ ciety of Food