The contents of the neuro-excitatory amino acid β-ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid), and other free and protein amino acids in the seeds of different genotypes of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.)

The free and protein amino acids of nine different genotypes of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) seeds were analysed by HPLC with pre-column PITC (phenyl isothiocyanate) derivatisation. Among the free amino acids, homoarginine was quantitatively the most important (up to 0.8% seed weight) and stable while the neuro-excitatory amino acid β-ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid) showed highest variation (0.02–0.54%) in the nine genotypes examined. Among protein amino acids, glutamic acid was quantitatively most significant, followed by aspartic acid, arginine, leucine, lysine and proline. The sulphur amino acid, methionine, showed the lowest concentration in all the L. sativus genotypes, and also in lentil (Lens culinaris) and in soybean (Glycine max) seeds analysed at the same time.