This study evaluated the nutritional quality of 25 commercial plant-based (PB) yoghurt alternatives (lupin-, soya-, oat-, coconut-based), focusing on protein digestibility and amino acid score and the content of the essential minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. The phytates levels were also measured to estimate mineral bioavailability. The content of saponins was examined in soya and oat products. The findings of this study revealed a high variability of Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) within product groups, with values ranging from 0.21 to 0.82 for soya-based yoghurt alternatives and from 0.41 to 1.00 for oat-based yoghurt alternatives. Only one oat product exhibited high-quality protein (PDCAAS > 0.9). Most products had low mineral content, which makes them unsuitable as a mineral source. Phytates hindered the low mineral content, with levels ranging from 13 to 193 mg/100 g. However, products enriched with calcium showed satisfactory levels, and phytate content had minimal impact on the estimated calcium bioavailability. Oat- and soya-based products contained 1–8 mg/100 g of avenacosides and 11–18 mg/100 g soyasaponins, respectively. This research underscores the importance of paying more attention to the nutritional value during product development of PB yoghurt alternatives manufactured using various constituents and when incorporating these products into dairy-free diets.

IntroductionAlternative protein sources are urgently needed to address the environmental, ethical, and health challenges associated with traditional livestock-derived proteins. Mycoprotein, produced by fermenting filamentous fungi, is a high - quality option with meat - like texture, high protein content, rapid growth, low cost, and environmental sustainability, showing great potential to replace conventional proteins. However, both the research endeavors in the field of mycoprotein and the strain resources employed for mycoprotein production remain relatively scarce.MethodsIn this study, we identified Fusarium compactum MM-135, which was isolated from a humus soil sample in Shennongjia, China. This strain was recognized as a high-performing mycoprotein producer through rapid screening of over 270,000 microbial samples. The protein, fiber, fat, and allergen levels of the mycelium were analyzed biochemically. True protein digestibility (TD) and Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) were assessed according to AOAC Official Method 991.29 and FAO/WHO guidelines. Safety evaluations included mycotoxin analysis via HPLC-MS and toxicological tests (Ames, in vivo micronucleus, in vitro chromosome aberration) following the OECD Guidelines. A 14-day dietary study in rats evaluated potential adverse effects at intake levels up to 150,000 ppm, following a modified study protocol and relevant SOPs based on the OECD Guidelines.ResultsThe strain produces mycelium with over 50% protein content, high fiber, low fat, and no allergens. It exhibits TD of 90.79% and a PDCAAS value of 1.00 for children aged 3-10 years and adults. Safety assessments revealed undetectable levels of most mycotoxins. The mycoprotein showed no mutagenicity or genotoxic effects in the Ames assay, in vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, and in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test. A 14-day dietary exposure study in rats demonstrated no adverse effects at intake levels up to 150,000 ppm, providing a strong basis for ongoing 90-day extended toxicity studies.DiscussionThis study highlights F. compactum MM-135 as a viable and sustainable protein source for future food systems, offering a robust solution to meet global protein demands while mitigating environmental impacts.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) protein foods group includes meat, poultry, seafood, and several plant-based proteins—but not dairy. Yet milk, yogurt, and cheese provide affordable high-quality protein and multiple priority micronutrients. The present analyses compared dairy with Protein Group foods in terms of protein content and quality, nutrient density, and protein cost, using USDA nutrient composition databases and published national food prices. Protein quality was adjusted using Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Scores (PDCAAS). Nutrient density was assessed using the Nutrient Rich Food Index calculated per 100 kcal and per serving. Affordability was the cost of providing 1-oz equivalent of PDCAAS-corrected high-quality protein. Servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese provided 7 g of protein and were comparable with eggs and beans in terms of protein cost. The MyPlate 1-oz protein equivalency table ought to consider protein quality and ought to include dairy products as sources of dietary protein.

Background: Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a lipid-based food used for the treatment of children with severe wasting. Due to its current high cost, formulations using alternative ingredients have been proposed. However, guidance on alternative ingredients for RUTF, especially to meet Codex regulations, is missing in the literature. Hence, this paper aims to provide a guide on the nutritional value of alternative RUTF ingredients, focusing on protein quality and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio. Scope and approach this study used three approaches: First, we systematically reviewed the literature and public tenders from the United Nations Children's Fund on new RUTF formulations. Then, a compilation of alternative ingredients used in these formulations were made and analysed. Second, we estimated the protein quality – using the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) – and n-6 and n-3 fatty acid profiles of the alternative ingredients using national databases and data from the literature. The content of typical antinutritional factors in these ingredients were also reported. Third, we estimated the PDCAAS, protein content from dairy sources, added sugar content, and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio of sample RUTF formulations using alternative ingredients. Key findings and conclusions: Using alternative ingredients in RUTF have varying effects on the PDCAAS and fatty acid profile of the final RUTF product. The data presented in this paper will help guide manufacturers and developers of modified RUTF formulations on the use of alternative ingredients and their effect on the nutritional properties of the resulting RUTF product to comply with the 2022 Codex guidelines.

Polygonatum Mill. (Asparagaceae) is an edible crop with great potential for development in China. This study focused on the analysis of protein components from Polygonatum kingianum Coll. et Hemsl (DHJ), P. cyrtonema Hua (DHHJ), and P. sibiricum Red (HJ). DHJ exhibited the lowest protein content (83.2 mg/g), the highest essential AA rate (23.6 %), the highest degree of protein hydrolysis (13.5 %), and the highest PDCAAS (0.57). DHHJ had the highest protein contents (189.8 mg/g), the lowest rate of essential AA (21.6 %), the lowest degree of protein hydrolysis (10.8 %), and the lowest PDCAAS (0.42). The first limiting AA was found to be Lys for DHHJ and Lys/Leu for DHJ and HJ. 96 carbohydrate, 61 amino acid, and 83 energy metabolism-related differential proteins were identified. Protein A0A5P1F9I9 and Q5EER7 were highly related to the digestive and nutritional properties. This study could provide an essential reference for better utilizing the Polygonatum protein component.

This research investigated the changes in physiochemical and techno-functional properties, protein nutritional quality, and microbial properties of Canary seed flour following hydrothermal treatment. Four hairless Canary seeds were dehulled, steamed, dried, and ground to flour. The hydrothermal treatment increased the mean particle size (∼80 %), damaged starch content (∼260 %), and water absorption capacity (∼46 %), while not affecting the flour’s acidity (pH ∼6.4), bulk density (∼0.6 g/mL), or oil absorption capacity (∼2.0 %). Hydrothermal treatment affected all the pasting and thermal properties of Canary seed flour except for the pasting temperature. Nutritionally, the treatment significantly improved in vitro protein digestibility, although it did not affect protein content (∼20.0 %), amino acid content, amino acid score (0.3 – 0.5), or in vitro protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (in vitro PDCAAS) (0.2 – 0.4). Most importantly, heat treatment significantly enhanced the microbial quality by eliminating the microbial load in the raw Canary seed flour, ensuring the safety of the product. Our results suggest that hydrothermally treated canary seed flour has improved physicochemical and functional properties, making it a better substitute than its raw counterpart.

Edible crickets (Acheta domesticus) are a promising sustainable ingredient for diverse food applications. This study evaluated the protein characteristics and techno-functional properties of protein concentrates from cricket legs and antennae (LPC), head and torso (HPC), and whole body (WPC). Analyses included proximate composition, techno-functionality, and protein profiles, including Osborne solubility fractions, molecular weight distribution, amino acid profile, in-vitro digestibility, and ATR-FTIR structural analysis. LPC had the highest protein content (75.24 g/100 g d.w.), outperforming HPC (70.20) and WPC (71.88). Glutelins (21.45–28.28 %) and albumins (20.10–25.85 %) were the predominant protein fractions, followed by globulins (5.26–6.05 %) and prolamins (3.80–4.80 %) across all samples. LPC showed a superior foaming capacity (75.3 %) compared to WPC (71.2 %) and HPC (67 %), suggesting suitability for aerated food applications. However, LPC had a lower Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 0.73 compared to HPC (0.86) and WPC (0.84), due to reduced amino acid scores and in-vitro digestibility. ATR-FTIR analysis revealed abundant intermolecular β-sheets in all protein concentrates, indicating a tendency to form aggregates after processing. These findings highlight the potential of cricket protein concentrates from different body parts for diverse food applications, considering their distinct functional properties and limitations.

High-pressure processing (HPP), a non-thermal technology, has gained attention in the food industry for its environmental sustainability and versatility in preservation and extraction. This study aimed to optimize HPP conditions to enhance the extraction of proteins and phycobiliproteins (PBP) from red algae (Porphyra sp.), highlighting their potential as sustainable bioresources. A Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize three key factors: pressure (100–600 MPa), time (10–30 min), and pH (4–10). The optimal conditions for maximizing nitrogen recovery and PBP content were 600 MPa, 28 min, and pH 7.8. Under these conditions, nitrogen recovery and PBP content reached 31 % and 1.57 g/100 g, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that HPP-induced cell disruption led to significantly higher nitrogen recovery (31 %) compared to the alkaline method (27 %). The denaturation temperature of protein extracted using HPP was similar to that of untreated Porphyra sp. (151–154 °C) but significantly higher than that of alkaline-extracted protein (138 °C). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis demonstrated that HPP reduced protein denaturation compared to the alkaline method, preserving the amide I (∼1650 cm−1) and II (∼1550 cm−1) peaks characteristic of Porphyra sp. Nutritionally, HPP improved protein digestibility, increased the essential amino acid content of threonine, and enhanced both the amino acid score and the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). These findings suggest that HPP is a promising green technology for producing cost-effective alternative proteins with superior functional and nutritional properties. Moreover, it promotes the sustainable utilization of marine resources, aligning with both environmental and economic goals.

Background: A shift to more plant-based consumption patterns may lower the protein adequacy of diets. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine how replacing animal meat with plant-based meat alternatives impacts protein adequacy in the Dutch diet by considering protein quality data. Methods: Habitual total and utilizable protein intakes were calculated from meal-based food consumption data from 1633 participants aged 18 to 70 y of the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2012–2016. Utilizable protein intake was calculated as the sum of protein intake per meal adjusted for protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score and compared to the estimated average requirement for Dutch adults to calculate the percentage of the population with an adequate protein intake. In the modeling scenarios, all animal meat was replaced gram-for-gram with meat alternatives from various protein sources currently available on the Dutch market. Results: Replacing all meat with meat alternatives decreased the intake of animal protein from 59% to 36%, median total protein intake from 1.14 g/kg/d to 1.09 g/kg/d, median utilizable protein intake from 0.94 g/kg/d to 0.86 g/kg/d, and protein adequacy from 93% to 86%. Additional scenarios indicated that the protein adequacy was mostly impacted by total protein content, lysine content, and protein digestibility of the meat alternatives. Conclusions: This modeling study indicated that when all animal meat was replaced by plant-based meats, total and utilizable protein intake remained adequate for the majority (86%) of the Dutch adult population. Individuals relying primarily on plant-based protein should ensure a sufficient total protein intake from a variety of sources.