Effects of variety and crude protein content on nutrients and anti-nutrients in lentils (Lens culinaris)

Protein content was used as an indicator of environmental conditions for a study on varietal and environmental variation of proximate composition, minerals, amino acids and anti-nutrients of lentils. Four lentil varieties, each with three levels of protein content, were selected. Crude protein content ranged from 24.3% to 30.2%. Analysis of variance showed that both varietal and environmental conditions had a significant effect on starch content. Significant varietal differences were found in acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), fat, ash, calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P) and Zinc (Zn). Protein showed significant effects on the amino acids, arginine and tryptophan. Variety had a significant effect on sucrose, stachyose, phytic acid, tannins and trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). Major lentil components, protein and starch content were inversely correlated. K, Mn, P and Zn were negatively correlated with protein content. Tryptophan was the most deficient amino acid and the sulphur-containing amino acids were the second limiting amino acid in lentils. Raffinose was positively correlated with starch while negatively correlated with ADF.