Protein composition and nutritional evaluation of three Polygonatum Mill species: A comparative analysis.

Polygonatum Mill. (Asparagaceae) is an edible crop with great potential for development in China. This study focused on the analysis of protein components from Polygonatum kingianum Coll. et Hemsl (DHJ), P. cyrtonema Hua (DHHJ), and P. sibiricum Red (HJ). DHJ exhibited the lowest protein content (83.2 mg/g), the highest essential AA rate (23.6 %), the highest degree of protein hydrolysis (13.5 %), and the highest PDCAAS (0.57). DHHJ had the highest protein contents (189.8 mg/g), the lowest rate of essential AA (21.6 %), the lowest degree of protein hydrolysis (10.8 %), and the lowest PDCAAS (0.42). The first limiting AA was found to be Lys for DHHJ and Lys/Leu for DHJ and HJ. 96 carbohydrate, 61 amino acid, and 83 energy metabolism-related differential proteins were identified. Protein A0A5P1F9I9 and Q5EER7 were highly related to the digestive and nutritional properties. This study could provide an essential reference for better utilizing the Polygonatum protein component.