Comparison of the Protein Nutritional Value of Several Vegetable Protein Products at Equal Levels of Nitrogen Intake for Adult Humans

Protein sources for feeding the expanding world population have received particular emphasis. While plant and cereal proteins are generally more economic and more efficient to produce, they are generally known to be of lower nutritional value than are proteins contained in animal products. In addition, and of possibly greater importance to the consumer, plant products may lack the palatability characteristics which meat-eating people have learned to appreciate and expect. The objective of the current human metabolic study, using nine subjects, was to determine the protein nutritional value of several vegetable protein products processed to resemble ground beef. The test products were soybean protein products made by different industrial processing methods using either the extruded defatted soy flour or the spun concentrated soy protein and a wheat protein product. Ground beef and dried whole egg were used as comparative control proteins. Advisor: Constance Kie