Comparative study of the nutritional composition and labeling analysis of whey protein concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate

Abstract

With the growth of the Brazilian sports nutrition market, whey protein, a supplement derived from whey, rich in proteins of high biological value, has great potential for expansion. Correct information on product labeling is essential to ensure consumer health. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare nutritional tables in terms of constituent composition, with an emphasis on protein content, lists of ingredients and aminogram tables on product labels, in order to verify their compliance with current legislation. The labels of whey protein supplements of the following types were analyzed: concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate from 4 national brands, making a total of 12 samples. The isolated and hydrolyzed products did not differ statistically (p<0.05) in terms of protein content. Whey protein concentrate, on the other hand, had significantly lower protein contents (p<0.05) than those found for hydrolyzed and isolated food supplements. Despite complying with current legislation in terms of nutritional information, there was a lack of standardization in terms of product labelling, such as a lack of uniformity in the units of measurement used. This highlights the need for more specific legislation establishing criteria for standardizing the labelling of these products, in order to make it easier for consumers to read and better understand the nutritional information.