Foods which simulate meat : the nutritional aspects of vegetable protein foods which are meat analogues : report / of the Panel on Novel Foods, Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

  • Great Britain. Panel on Novel Foods.
Date:
1980
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Foods which simulate meat : the nutritional aspects of vegetable protein foods which are meat analogues : report / of the Panel on Novel Foods, Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (a) the effects of dietary phytate on zinc absorption in rats (Davies and Nightingale, 1975; Davies and Olpin, 1979) (b) the effects on rat growth of changing the phytate/zinc ratio by zinc supplementation of diets containing textured vegetable protein food, and (c) the known phytate and zinc contents of some currently available textured vegetable protein products. 8.3.4 Experiments with rats show that when the ratio, by weight, of phytate to zinc in a diet exceeds about 100, adverse biological effects arise which are abolished if the diet is supplemented with zinc salts. Nineteen samples of textured vegetable protein foods analysed at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, had a mean content of phytate of 1630 mg/100 g dry product and a phytate/zince ratio of 375 (Davies and Reid, 1979). If it is assumed that phytate/zinc ratios exceeding 100 have a similar adverse effect upon the availability of dietary zinc to man, adjustment of the phytate/zinc ratio of textured vegetable protein to, say 80, would necessitate fortification of tex- tured vegetable protein food to give a zinc content of approximately 20 mg/100 g dry product or, assuming a 50 per cent protein content, 40 mg zinc/100 g protein. These calculations take no account of the amounts of phytate and zinc in the rest of the diet. Such information is not yet available for the typical United Kingdom diet and should be obtained. In the light of such uncertainties the Panel recommends that investigations should be initiated to determine whether the high phytate/zinc ratio of vegetable protein products which simulate meat has an effect on the utilisation of dietary zinc by man similar to that found in rats. 8.3.5 On current evidence from animal studies the Panel recommends a minimal content of 20 mg zinc/100 g protein in textured vegetable protein foods which simulate meat. Although the recommendation disregards the possible effect of phytate on zinc absorption, this amount will at least ensure that the partial substitution of meat by textured vegetable proteins will not decrease the total intake of zinc. The recommendation will be reviewed when sufficient evidence becomes available to determine whether or not the phytate content of textured vegetable protein influences the absorption of dietary zinc by man. 8.3.6 Where supplementation is necessary, zinc sulphate, zinc carbonate or any other non-toxic zinc salt which is known to be absorbed by man should be added during the manufacturing process.