ABSTRACT
The protein content of seeds varies widely, from about 10-12% in cereals to 20-25% in pulses and oilseeds and up to 50% in soybean. It can be calculated that the total protein yield of the major seed crops amounts to over 350 million tonnes per annum, with cereals accounting for about 70% of the total (1). Seeds therefore form the major source of protein for the nutrition of humans and livestock. In addition, seed proteins are largely responsible for the processing properties of many seeds including the use of wheat for making bread and other processed foods such as pasta and noodles. The impact of seed proteins on the nutritional and processing quality of seeds has provided a major stimulus to their study over a period exceeding 250 years since Beccari (2) first described the isolation of wheat gluten.
