A method for determination of unoxidized and total methionine in protein concentrates, with special reference to fish meals

Abstract

1. An automated colorimetric method for determination of methionine using an iodoplatinate reagent is described. Methionine sulphoxide does not react under the chosen conditions.2. The method may be used to distinguish between unoxidized and total methionine by doing one deter- mination without and one determination with previous reduction of a portion of the sample with titanium trichloride. Methionine sulphoxide is then obtained by difference.3. The method has been used with protein concentrates, mainly fish meals, after hydrolysis with barium hydroxide. Interference from cysteine-cystine is eliminated by adding a small amount of cadmium acetate to the sample before hydrolysis.4. Results obtained for total methionine and for methionine sulphoxide by independent methods show good agreement with results obtained with the iodoplatinate method.