Abstract: The nutritional evaluation of silkworm cocoon protein was assqyed by chemical analysis and animal experiments. The results of the amino acid analysis showed that silkworm cocoon protein contained 17 amino acids accounted for 40％of the total amino acid contents in corresponding with the evaluation model of FAO/WHO The results of rat metabolism and growth experiments showed that the apparent digestibility(AD),true digestibility(TD),biological value(BV)and net protein utilization(NPU) of silkworm cocoon protein were 94.05±0.80,95.76±0.68,94.72±1.19,90.70±1.30,respectively.Protein efficiency ratio(PER)and net protein ratio(NPR were 2.00±0.25 and 2.66±0.18,respectively. There was no significant difference in these indices between silkworm cocoon group and casein group. The results suggested that silkworm cocoon protein was a good protein resource.

Key words: Silkworm cocoon Protein Nutritional evaluation