Estudo comparativo da composição nutricional e análise da rotulagem de whey protein concentrado, isolado e hidrolisado

Abstract

Milk is a food with a complex compositional matrix, generally represented by proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, inorganic elements and water. Proteins comprise one of its main nutrients, providing indispensable amino acids and amino groups for the biosynthesis of non-indispensable amino acids. Whey is used for the production of whey protein, a product widely used by athletes and non-athletes for food supplementation to help meet nutritional demands and is considered a food rich in high quality protein because of its abundant concentration of indispensable amino acids (mainly branched chain amino acids). In Brazil, there is no legislation that specifically regulates whey protein-based food supplements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition, list of ingredients and aminogram table present in the labeling of whey protein products and their adequacy to the current legislation. A comparative analysis of the labeling of whey protein based supplements, concentrated, isolated and hydrolyzed, was performed. It was verified that the isolated and hydrolyzed whey protein supplements do not differ in their protein contents and the concentrated whey protein supplement presents significantly different (lower) protein content than the contents of the hydrolyzed and isolated whey protein supplements. A lack of standardization was observed regarding product labeling, with a lack of uniformity in the units of measurement used. Thus, it can be concluded that the nutritional information presented on the evaluated labels complies with the legislation, however, it is evident the need for a legislation that establishes criteria for the standardization of the labeling of these products.