Most of the niacin in cereal grains is bound in biologically unavailable
forms. These include trigonelline, and "niacytin". Another "bound" form
of niacin is peptide-bound.
I am interested in isolation of maize mutants with a higher level of
biologicaly available niacin. I seem to be having some success. I know
that the "niacytin" form (Nic-Aromatic Amine-oligosaccharide) is not
useable by mammals, but I do not know about the peptide-bound form.
Does proteolytic digestion render this form available? I would think so, but
can not find studies to confirm or deny this.
E-mail or posts to this group would be much appreciated.
Allen
