The nutritional value of รve samples of black cumin seeds from รve di โ erent sources available in the local market were studied. The average values of the proximate analysis on dry matter basis were 216 g kg~1 for crude protein, 406 g fat, 45 g ash, 84 g crude รbre and 249 g of nitrogen-free extract, whereas moisture content was 38 g kg~1. The mineral and vitamin analyses showed that black cumin seeds contained iron, (105 mg kg~1) copper (18 mg), zinc (60 mg) phosphorus (527 mg), calcium (1860 mg), thiamin (15ร4 mg), niacin (57 mg), pyridoxine (5ร0 mg) and folic acid (160 kg). The protein quality of black cumin seeds was evaluated using net protein utilisation (NPU), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and net dietary protein energy percent (NDPE %) for two samples imported from Syria and Turkey, while PER was determined for the Syrian sample only. The results indicated that the NPU standardised of Turkish black cumin seeds was signiรcantly higher than that of Syrian type (P \ 0ร05). The mean results (^SD) were 54ร6 ^2ร72 for the Syrian type and 63ร1 ^3ร74 for the Turkish type. The NDPE% mean results (^SD) were 5ร3 ^0ร79 and 5ร6 ^0ร26 for the Syrian and the Turkish samples, respectively. The PER adjusted value for the Syrian samples was 1ร9. The results of protein quality evaluation and those of the nutrient composition suggest that black cumin is of relatively good nutritional value.
1998 SCI.