Comparison of Nutritional Quality of Amino Acids in Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum and Chenopodium formosanum

This study aims to investigate composition characteristics of the amino acid in Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum and Chenopodium formosanum and to evaluate their nutritional value in comprehensive way. Six evaluation methods, including amino acid composition analysis, chemical index evaluation, pattern spectrum evaluation, flavor evaluation, matching degree evaluation, and factor analysis of 17 amino acids, were employed to assess the amino acids of both varieties systematically. The total amino acid contents were 103.819±0.087 mg·g⁻¹ in C. formosanum and 78.742±1.775 mg·g⁻¹ in C. formosanum, contents of essential amino acid, flavor amino acid and medicinal amino acid were found higher in C. formosanum. Chemical index evaluation indicated that methionine was the limiting amino acid in them. Additionally, C. formosanum also surpassed C. centrorubrum in terms of protein quality, digestibility, biological activity and human matching degree, etc. Factor analysis revealed that the similarity of the amino acid composition existed in both varieties, the amino acids of which could fulfill the daily requirement of the human body, whereas C. formosanum performed better in total amino acid content, comprehensive evaluation and matching degree.