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Nutritional Improvement of Food and Feed Proteins pp 131–154Cite as

Hair as an Index of Protein Malnutrition

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 105))

Abstract

Hair samples from seven sick Ghanaian children were analyzed for amino acids. Cystine was determined by a procedure of Friedman using tributylphosphine and 2-vinylpyridine to change residues of cystine (and cysteine, if present) to S-ß-(2-pyridylethyl)-L-cysteine (2-PEC). This acid-stable derivative is released by normal acid hydrolysis and is eluted as a well-resolved peak before lysine in conventional ion-exchange amino acid analysis. The average cystine content of six children suffering from kwashiorkor or marasmic kwashiorkor was found to be about 20% less than that of the one remaining child, whose protein nutrition was judged adequate. In view of conflicting evidence of the relation of hair cystine content and nutrition, we believe further definitive studies of this subject are urgent. No other substantial difference in amino acid composition was noted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Regional Research Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Berkeley, CA, 94710, USA

    Mendel Friedman

  2. Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

    R. Orraca-Tetteh

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  1. Mendel Friedman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Western Regional Research Laboratory, Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Berkeley, California, USA

    Mendel Friedman

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© 1978 Plenum Press, New York

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Friedman, M., Orraca-Tetteh, R. (1978). Hair as an Index of Protein Malnutrition. In: Friedman, M. (eds) Nutritional Improvement of Food and Feed Proteins. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 105. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3366-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3366-1_9

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