26 BULLETIN 717, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



those obtained for some other legume proteins. Perhaps the differ- 

 ence between the digestibihty of the soy-bean and peanut proteins 

 as sho's\Ti by these experiments and the digestibihty of the common 

 legumes reported by other investigators is due in part at least to 

 the soy bean and peanut having been finely ground. It is hoped 

 that additional experiments will give more data on this point. 



No attempt was made to ascertain the limit of tolerance for soy- 

 bean and peanut flours when included in a simple mixed diet, but 

 since in seven experiments with soy beans the subjects ate an average 

 of 70 grams daily of soy-bean protein and in four experiments with 

 peanut flour the subjects ate an average of 65 grams of peanut pro- 

 tein daily without any observed symptoms of physiological disturb- 

 ance, it should be very evident that these proteins are tolerated by 

 the human body in amounts in excess of those which are likely to be 

 found in the ordinary mixed diet. 



Since in household economy the soy-bean and peanut flours would 

 be used to supplement wheat or other cereal flours, and since numer- 

 ous investigations of the value of soy-bean and peanut proteins for 

 food purposes indicate that these proteins have a nutritive value 

 nearly if not quite equivalent to that of meat, milk, and egg pro- 

 teins, it would seem that these flours could be very properly classed 

 as both wheat and meat substitutes. 



From these facts it is very evident that it is highly desirable to use 

 for human food such soy-bean and peanut press cakes, by-products 

 of the oil mills, as can be properly prepared for food purposes rather 

 than to continue to use them exclusively for stock feeding and ferti- 

 lizing purposes. 



The data obtained in this and other investigations give sufficient 

 evidence to justify the belief that soy-bean and peanut flours, rich in 

 proteins that are well digested and of high biologic value, should 

 prove especially valuable additions to the human dietary. 



