PRO-Q (Protein Quality)
A recently developed food database is tested using a dataset from the research study RENEW.
It examines the protein quality of the diet of Danish postmenopausal women - does it meet the need for essential amino acids?
The current supply of plant-based meals from selected institutional kitchens is evaluated in terms of protein quality. Optimization proposals are developed where necessary.
Project PRO-Q will investigate whether the transition to a more plant-based diet poses a nutritional risk in relation to protein quality.
The results will clarify whether the protein quality of meal offerings is sufficient for the human need for essential amino acids and how much "greener" the recipes can become without compromising needs.
In line with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, national institutional kitchens and food services are shifting their production to greener menus to ensure that food offerings are in line with the goal.
In addition to being beneficial for the environment, a shift that limits the consumption of animal-based foods and increases the consumption of plant-based foods is associated with numerous health benefits.
Changing the composition of a meal to include more plants, legumes and grains changes the nutrient content of the meal, including protein quality.
While protein-rich animal foods have an optimal composition of essential amino acids for human needs, foods of the plant origin are different, where the content of especially the essential amino acids is often present in insufficient amounts, making it especially important to consider the amino acid composition of meals.
Bispebjerg Hospitalskøkken, Byens køkken from Mad og Måltider in Odense municipality and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration all contribute with recipes from their current plant-based menus in order to evaluate and optimize their menus.
The project, which began in August 2023, has the following phases:
Phase 1:
Testing
Phase 1A:
Testing the database with existing datasets
Phase 1B:
Descriptive evaluation of postmenopausal women's diet in terms of protein intake and protein quality.
Phase 2:
Evaluation of protein quality from institutional kitchens' plant-based meal offerings.
Phase 3:
Feedback and relevant optimization of green recipes.
Results will be published when available.
A symposium for all interested in the results of the trial will be held in primo 2024, at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Frederiksberg Campus, Rolighedsvej 26, 1st floor.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports and the Division of Human Nutrition and Health and Food Informatics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Involved in the project
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inge Tetens | Professor | +4535332127 |
Funded by
Helsefonden. The foundation has no commercial interests in the project.
Project period: 1 August 2023 - 31 January 2024