Cereal Chem 68:424-427   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Endogenous Factors Affecting Protein Digestibility in Buckwheat.

K. Ikeda, T. Sakaguchi, T. Kusano, and K. Yasumoto. Copyright 1991 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Endogenous factors affecting protein digestibility of buckwheat were studied. High levels of protease inhibitor and tannin, which are inhibitory factors of protein digestibility, were found in various buckwheat products. A significant difference in susceptibility to proteolytic action among buckwheat protein components was noted, with the globulins being more digestible by proteases than the albumins. These findings indicate that the protein digestibility of buckwheat is defined by two factors: the inhibitory potency of endogenous antinutrients, such as protease inhibitor and tannin, and the susceptibility of protein per se to proteolytic action.