Protein and calorie food supplements based on whey protein

Abstract

At the present time it is notable the increase of health care. Considerable part of the population became adept at the practice of physical exercises and healthy diets. Dietary supplements with whey protein (Whey protein) have shown, in recent years, an exponential increase in consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and protein characteristics of food supplements in order to compare them with the information presented in their labels. Five different protein supplement brands (chocolate flavor) were acquired in specific trades and evaluated for their physical characteristics (color), physicochemical (moisture, ash, protein, lipids and water activity) and caloric. The amino acid profile (indicated by the manufacturer) was compared between different brands and from these the corrected score of protein digestibility of amino acids (PDCAAS) was calculated. The results indicated that physical analysis showed, in general, variations in coloration of the products both to L * (brightness) as to a * (red vs. green) and b * (yellow vs. blue). For the physical-chemical parameters, however, the protein content determined experimentally presented below those indicated on the label while the carbohydrate content was relatively higher. Samples A and D showed lipid content than the values specified on the label and the sample A was the only of the five who presented caloric value also higher than stated on the product label. In PDCAAS evaluation sample C did not show proper value for histidine compromising its quality in comparison to other samples.