Cereal Chem 54:984 - 995.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Methods of Measuring Protein Quality: A Review of Bioassay Procedures.

L. R. Hackler. Copyright 1977 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

The biological evaluation of proteins continues to be a subject of interest at scientific meetings. Various bioassays (biological value, net protein utilization, net protein ratio, relative protein value by slope assay procedure, relative nitrogen utilization, protein efficiency ratio, and a relative protein efficiency ratio) have been discussed and reviewed. This reviewer considers the relative nitrogen utilization, relative protein efficiency ratio, and protein efficiency ratio to be the most practical procedures for monitoring protein qualaity on a routine basis and for regulating nutritional labeling. None of the rat bioassays is really appropriate for testing protein quality of foods as consumed by humans, but, until more information is compiled from human investigations, will continue to be used for this purpose because of problems associated with human studies.