Dietary protein supplementation. Fundamentals and examples of practical application

Involving the most expensive of all the nutrients required by the body, the biological utilization of dietary protein remains an important topic, particularly to Third World countries wherein protein supplies are frequently limited. Protein supplementation of cereals and other foodstuffs is often used as a means of increasing protein intake. Supplementation not only increases protein intake but often also changes the physiological usability of the protein component of the resultant mixture. Employing an updated biological method for assessment of protein nutritive value, the author investigated the nature of the change in protein assimilability as a result of graded changes in the proportions of certain proteins combined pairwise into single mixtures. Data are presented on the basis of which the digestibility and/or assimilability of the protein component of a given mixture can be estimated. Lastly, the author indicates the need to evaluate high-protein foods and protein supplements in terms of, not only protein content relative to cost, but also of inherent nutritive value and complementary effect.