Nutritional studies on whole-extract coagulated leaf protein and fractionated chloroplastic and cytoplasmic proteins from lucerne (Medzcago satzva)

Leaf extracts were prepared from the green vegetation of lucerne (Medicugo sativa). The leaf protein was coagulated by steam injection and the chloroplastic and cytoplasmic proteins were fractionated by a differential heat treatment. The proximate composition of various materials was analysed and nutritive value was studied with reference to growth of weanling albino rats. The effects of processing on the distribution of major constituents among the different products and their bearing on nutrition are discussed. The results showed the spray‐dried leaf extract to be unsuitable as food because of the association of various water‐soluble constituents, and the coagulated leaf protein to be satisfactory. Nutritionally, the chloroplastic material was inferior and the cytoplasmic one superior to the unfractionated leaf protein. The close association of nutritional improvement with an increase in protein content suggests that the nonprotein constituents act as low‐digestibility diluents and probably damage the food value by various interactions.