ABSTRACT
Peanut has traditionally been used as a source of oil; however, its worldwide annual protein harvest has reached nearly 4.5 million tons. India followed by China and the United States are the major producers of peanut. In recent years, several cereals and legumes-based foods using peanut as protein supplements have been developed to alleviate protein calories-malnutrition problem. Peanut in the form of fl our, protein isolates, and meal in a mixed product are desirable from a sensory quality point of view. Peanut protein is defi cient in respect to certain essential amino acids, but its true digestibility is comparable with that of animal protein. Even though various processing methods infl uence the nutritional and sensory quality of peanut fortifi ed human foods (Singh and Singh, 1991), utilization of peanut protein increases protein value of cereal-based foods in developing countries of the peanut growing regions of the world. Peanut kernels are of varying sizes. Prathiba and Reddy (1994) selected seven varieties of peanuts of varying kernel size to study the relation between kernel size and nutritional quality. Results indicate that no signifi cant difference is present in oil contents among the various varieties which ranges from 46-52 percent. Protein contents range from 17-25.2 percent. Protein content of small seed varieties is high compared to bold seeded varieties, whereas sugar content of bold seeded varieties is higher. No signifi cant differences in amino acids and fatty acids compositions were observed among the varieties tested. In vitro digestibility
of protein is slightly less but not signifi cantly so in bold seeded varieties compared to small and medium size varieties. Niacin content of bold seeded varieties is slightly higher compared to other varieties.
