Variability in protein composition of pea seed studied by FPLC and multidimensional analysis

The nutritional and the functional quality of pea (Pisum sativum L.) seed depends primarily on their protein content and composition. For breeding as well as for industrial uses, efficient methods for analyzing protein composition are of great importance. In the present work, a procedure combining fast protein liquid chromatography and statistical analysis was developed for routine determination of protein composition in pea seed. Chromatographic conditions optimized the resolution and repeatability of peak areas and peak retention times sufficiently for statistical analysis. The analytical procedure was a practical compromise between the time of chromatographic separation and the repeatability of the fractionation. The method utilizes the variability among pea cultivars and the repeatability of their chromatographic profiles and can characterize seed protein composition with sufficient precision to distinguish cultivars.