Журнал пищевой промышленности и технологий

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Protein Utilization, Immune Function, and Hepatic Antioxidant Activity of Rats Fed Tahini in Combination with Other Oily Seeds

Ghiath Sumainah, Louay Laban

Aims and objectives: Consumption of sesame seed products is increasing worldwide, and sesame may be suitable as a quality protein source for preschool children when combined with other sources of plant proteins. Sesame paste, or Tahini, is a traditional food in countries of the Middle-East, where other seed proteins such as the chickpea, soybean, and peanut are also locally available. Although the protein in sesame is low in lysine, but it’s rich in sulfurcontaining amino acids in comparison to other seed proteins. Additionally, sesame contains potent water and fat soluble antioxidants with may affect immune function.

Materials and methods: In this study, the growth response, liver antioxidant activities were measured. And in vivo cell-mediated immune function in hamsters fed rations in which the protein content was 10% and was either all from Sesame Paste (SP), one-fourth from sesame paste and three-fourths from chickpea (SC), or one-half from sesame paste and one-fourth each from Soybean and Peanut (SSP). There were 2 control rations, both containing casein as the protein source and fat from either soybean oil or sesame oil. Total fat content of the rations was similar. Syrian male hamsters were fed ad libitum for 4 weeks, after which they were administered a Delayed-Type-Hypersensitivity (DTH) test of were assessed for liver antioxidant activity using αα- diphenyl-b-picrylhydrazyl.

Results: Protein utilization, as measured by the standardized PER, was 2.50 or both control groups, 1.08 for group S, 1.59 for group SSP, and 2.18 for group SC. Liver tissue antioxidant activity was significantly higher in all 3 groups containing sesame paste vs. the control groups. The DTH response was similar among the control groups and rate fed rations SC and SSP, but significantly greater in rats consuming the S ration. In summary, the SC formula containing protein that was 25% from sesame paste and 75% from chickpea is of good quality, supported normal cell-mediated immune function, and raised hepatic antioxidant level in comparison to the casein controls.

Conclusion: Sesame seeds products such as Tahini can play an important role as antioxidants especially for the hepatic functions.