Revisiting Protein Quality Assessment to Include Alternative Proteins
Research snapshot:
2022 preclinical study finds current protein quality assessment methods inadequate for alternative proteins.
2022 |
Preclinical |
Protein |
Growth performance |
Overview.
The study evaluates the effectiveness of current protein quality assessment methods, PDCAAS and DIAAS, and proposes a new physiological preclinical model to assess protein quality, especially for alternative and plant-based proteins.
Background.
A team of researchers associated with the Institute of Biochemistry and Nutrition at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem conducted this study, which was published in the journal Foods. The research was funded by The Hebrew University—France, Food Safety and Security grant.
Objectives.
The study aimed to re-evaluate the current methods for assessing protein quality, particularly in the context of increasing demand for sustainable and alternative protein sources like legumes, insects, algae, and cultured meat. It sought to determine if the existing methods, PDCAAS and DIAAS, are suitable for evaluating the quality of these alternative proteins.
Study design.
The study used a preclinical model involving female Sprague Dawley rats after weaning. The rats were divided into groups and fed different protein sources (casein, soy isolate, spirulina powder, chickpea isolate, chickpea flour, and fly larvae protein powder) in both standard and protein-deficient diets. The experiment lasted 6 weeks, monitoring food consumption, body weight, and longitudinal growth.
Results.
The results showed that, with adequate protein intake, most alternative proteins performed similarly to casein in supporting growth. However, under protein restriction (10% of calories), alternative sources failed to support normal growth. No correlation was found between growth performance and the PDCAAS and DIAAS parameters, highlighting the limitations of these methods.
Conclusions.
The study concluded that the current methods for protein quality assessment, PDCAAS and DIAAS, have significant limitations, especially for plant-based and alternative proteins. It proposed a new physiological preclinical model based on postnatal growth and bone development as a more accurate way to assess protein quality.
Original paper.
Monsonego Ornan E, Reifen R. Revisiting Protein Quality Assessment to Include Alternative Proteins. Foods. 2022 Nov; 11(22): 3740. doi: 10.3390/foods11223740
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