Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein
Panel members: Carlo Agostoni, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Susan Fairweather‐Tait, Albert Flynn, Ines Golly, Hannu Korhonen, Pagona Lagiou, Martinus Løvik, Rosangela Marchelli, Ambroise Martin, Bevan Moseley, Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Hildegard Przyrembel, Seppo Salminen, Yolanda Sanz, Sean (J.J.) Strain, Stephan Strobel, Inge Tetens, Daniel Tomé, Hendrik van Loveren and Hans Verhagen.
Correspondence: nda@efsa.europa.eu
Acknowledgement: The Panel wishes to thank the members of the WG on Population Reference Intakes: Carlo Agostoni, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Susan Fairweather‐Tait, Albert Flynn, Ambroise Martin, Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Hildegard Przyrembel, Sean (J.J.) Strain, Inge Tetens, Daniel Tomé and EFSA's staff member Anja Brönstrup for the preparatory work on this scientific opinion.
Adoption date: 19 January 2012
Published date: 9 February 2012
Question number: EFSA‐Q‐2008‐468
On request from: European Commission
Abstract
This opinion of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) deals with the setting of Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for protein. The Panel concludes that a Population Reference Intake (PRI) can be derived from nitrogen balance studies. Several health outcomes possibly associated with protein intake were also considered but data were found to be insufficient to establish DRVs. For healthy adults of both sexes, the average requirement (AR) is 0.66 g protein/kg body weight per day based on nitrogen balance data. Considering the 97.5th percentile of the distribution of the requirement and assuming an efficiency of utilisation of dietary protein for maintenance of 47 %, the PRI for adults of all ages was estimated to be 0.83 g protein/kg body weight per day and is applicable both to high quality protein and to protein in mixed diets. For children from six months onwards, age‐dependent requirements for growth estimated from average daily rates of protein deposition and adjusted by a protein efficiency for growth of 58 % were added to the requirement for maintenance of 0.66 g/kg body weight per day. The PRI was estimated based on the average requirement plus 1.96 SD using a combined SD for growth and maintenance. For pregnancy, an intake of 1, 9 and 28 g/d in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively, is proposed in addition to the PRI for non‐pregnant women. For lactation, a protein intake of 19 g/d during the first six months, and of 13 g/d after six months, is proposed in addition to the PRI for non‐lactating women. Data are insufficient to establish a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for protein. Intakes up to twice the PRI are regularly consumed from mixed diets by some physically active and healthy adults in Europe and are considered safe.
Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 30
- Eileen C. O'Brien, Kit Ying Tsoi, Ronald C.W. Ma, Mark A. Hanson, Moshe Hod and Fionnuala M. McAuliffe, Nutrition Through the Life Cycle: Pregnancy, Encyclopedia of Food Security and Sustainability, 10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.21912-4, (49-74), (2019).
- Nuno Mendonça, Antoneta Granic, Tom R. Hill, Mario Siervo, John C. Mathers, Andrew Kingston and Carol Jagger, Protein Intake and Disability Trajectories in Very Old Adults: The Newcastle 85+ Study, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67, 1, (50-56), (2018).
- Hanspeter Naegeli, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Tamas Dalmay, Ian Crawford Dewhurst, Michelle M Epstein, Leslie George Firbank, Philippe Guerche, Jan Hejatko, Francisco Javier Moreno, Ewen Mullins, Fabien Nogué, Nils Rostoks, Jose Juan Sánchez Serrano, Giovanni Savoini, Eve Veromann, Fabio Veronesi, Fernando Álvarez, Michele Ardizzone, Antonio Fernandez Dumont, Andrea Gennaro, Jose Ángel Gómez Ruiz, Anna Lanzoni, Franco Maria Neri, Nikoletta Papadopoulou and Matthew Ramon, Assessment of genetically modified maize MON 89034 × 1507 × NK603 × DAS‐40278‐9 and subcombinations independently of their origin for food and feed uses, import and processing, under Regulation (EC) No 1829‐2003 (application EFSA‐GMO‐NL‐2013‐112), EFSA Journal, 17, 1, (2019).
- Dorothee Volkert, Anne Marie Beck, Tommy Cederholm, Alfonso Cruz-Jentoft, Sabine Goisser, Lee Hooper, Eva Kiesswetter, Marcello Maggio, Agathe Raynaud-Simon, Cornel C. Sieber, Lubos Sobotka, Dieneke van Asselt, Rainer Wirth and Stephan C. Bischoff, ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics, Clinical Nutrition, 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.05.024, 38, 1, (10-47), (2019).
- A. M. Verreijen, M. Tieland and P. J. M. Weijs, Eiwitten, Informatorium voor Voeding en Diëtetiek – Supplement 101 – april 2019, 10.1007/978-90-368-2299-2_1, (1-26), (2019).
- A. Bocquet, C. Dupont, J.-P. Chouraqui, D. Darmaun, F. Feillet, M.-L. Frelut, J.-P. Girardet, R. Hankard, A. Lapillonne, J.-C. Rozé, U. Simeoni, D. Turck and A. Briend, Efficacy and safety of hydrolyzed rice-protein formulas for the treatment of cow's milk protein allergy, Archives de Pédiatrie, 10.1016/j.arcped.2019.03.001, (2019).
- Alice Sabatino, Giovanni Piotti, Carmela Cosola, Ilaria Gandolfini, Jeroen P. Kooman and Enrico Fiaccadori, Dietary protein and nutritional supplements in conventional hemodialysis, Seminars in Dialysis, 31, 6, (583-591), (2018).
- C. H. Murphy and H. M. Roche, Nutrition and physical activity countermeasures for sarcopenia: Time to get personal?, Nutrition Bulletin, 43, 4, (374-387), (2018).
- Dominique Turck, Jacqueline Castenmiller, Stefaan De Henauw, Karen Ildico Hirsch‐Ernst, John Kearney, Helle Katrine Knutsen, Alexandre Maciuk, Inge Mangelsdorf, Harry J McArdle, Androniki Naska, Carmen Pelaez, Kristina Pentieva, Frank Thies, Sophia Tsabouri, Marco Vinceti, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Barbara Burlingame, Tara Dean, Susan Fairweather‐Tait, Marina Heinonen, Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Grażyna Nowicka, Yolanda Sanz, Anders Sjödin, Martin Stern, Daniel Tomé, Henk Van Loveren, Peter Willatts, Ambroise Martin, John Joseph Strain, Leng Heng, Silvia Valtueña Martínez and Alfonso Siani, Guidance on the scientific requirements for health claims related to muscle function and physical performance, EFSA Journal, 16, 10, (2018).
- Hanspeter Naegeli, Andrew Nicholas Birch, Josep Casacuberta, Adinda De Schrijver, Mikołaj Antoni Gralak, Huw Jones, Barbara Manachini, Antoine Messéan, Elsa Ebbesen Nielsen, Fabien Nogué, Christophe Robaglia, Nils Rostoks, Jeremy Sweet, Christoph Tebbe, Francesco Visioli, Jean‐Michel Wal, Fernando Álvarez, Michele Ardizzone, Antonio Fernandez Dumont, José Ángel Gómez Ruiz, Nikoletta Papadopoulou and Konstantinos Paraskevopoulos, Assessment of genetically modified soybean MON 87751 for food and feed uses under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA‐GMO‐NL‐2014‐121), EFSA Journal, 16, 8, (2018).
- , Outcome of a public consultation on a draft scientific opinion on the safety and suitability for use by infants of follow‐on formulae with a protein content of at least 1.6 g/100 kcal, EFSA Supporting Publications, 14, 5, (2017).
- Peter J. M. Weijs, Roland N. Dickerson, Daren K. Heyland, Frederick A. Moore, Saúl J. Rugeles and Stephen A. McClave, Experimental and Outcome‐Based Approaches to Protein Requirements in the Intensive Care Unit, Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 32, 1S, (77S-85S), (2017).
- , Dietary Reference Values for nutrients Summary report, EFSA Supporting Publications, 14, 12, (2017).
- J. Walton, L. Kehoe, B. A. McNulty, A. P. Nugent and A. Flynn, Nutrient intakes and compliance with nutrient recommendations in children aged 1–4 years in Ireland, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 30, 5, (665-676), (2017).
- Dominique Turck, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Barbara Burlingame, Tara Dean, Susan Fairweather‐Tait, Marina Heinonen, Karen Ildico Hirsch‐Ernst, Inge Mangelsdorf, Harry J McArdle, Androniki Naska, Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Grażyna Nowicka, Kristina Pentieva, Yolanda Sanz, Anders Sjödin, Martin Stern, Daniel Tomé, Henk Van Loveren, Marco Vinceti, Peter Willatts, Mary Fewtrell, Hildegard Przyrembel, Ariane Titz and Silvia Valtueña Martínez, Scientific Opinion on the safety and suitability for use by infants of follow‐on formulae with a protein content of at least 1.6 g/100 kcal, EFSA Journal, 15, 5, (2017).
- Dominique Turck, Jean‐Louis Bresson, Barbara Burlingame, Tara Dean, Susan Fairweather‐Tait, Marina Heinonen, Karen Ildico Hirsch‐Ernst, Inge Mangelsdorf, Harry J McArdle, Androniki Naska, Grażyna Nowicka, Kristina Pentieva, Yolanda Sanz, Alfonso Siani, Anders Sjödin, Martin Stern, Daniel Tomé, Henk Van Loveren, Marco Vinceti, Peter Willatts, Christel Lamberg‐Allardt, Hildegard Przyrembel, Inge Tetens, Céline Dumas, Lucia Fabiani, Annette Cecilia Forss, Sofia Ioannidou and Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Dietary Reference Values for riboflavin, EFSA Journal, 15, 8, (2017).
- , Dietary Reference Values for vitamin B6, EFSA Journal, 14, 6, (2016).
- , Dietary Reference Values for choline, EFSA Journal, 14, 8, (2016).
- , Safety of the proposed extension of use of beetroot red (E 162) in foods for special medical purposes in young children, EFSA Journal, 14, 5, (2016).
- , Scientific Opinion on the safety of the extension of use of thaumatin (E 957), EFSA Journal, 13, 11, (2015).
- , Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for energy, EFSA Journal, 11, 1, (2013).
- Alexandra Schutkowski, Holger Kluge, Paula Trotz, Gerd Hause, Bettina König, Monika Wensch-Dorendorf and Gabriele I. Stangl, Impact of a high-protein diet during lactation on milk composition and offspring in a pig model, European Journal of Nutrition, 10.1007/s00394-018-1867-y, (2018).
- Tinu Samuel, Kathy Musa-Veloso, Manki Ho, Carolina Venditti and Yassaman Shahkhalili-Dulloo, A Narrative Review of Childhood Picky Eating and Its Relationship to Food Intakes, Nutritional Status, and Growth, Nutrients, 10.3390/nu10121992, 10, 12, (1992), (2018).
- Laura Kehoe, Janette Walton and Albert Flynn, Nutritional challenges for older adults in Europe: current status and future directions, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 10.1017/S0029665118002744, (1-13), (2019).
- Andrea Roncolini, Vesna Milanović, Federica Cardinali, Andrea Osimani, Cristiana Garofalo, Riccardo Sabbatini, Francesca Clementi, Marina Pasquini, Massimo Mozzon, Roberta Foligni, Nadia Raffaelli, Federica Zamporlini, Gabriele Minazzato, Maria Federica Trombetta, Anse Van Buitenen, Leen Van Campenhout and Lucia Aquilanti, Protein fortification with mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) powder: Effect on textural, microbiological, nutritional and sensory features of bread, PLOS ONE, 10.1371/journal.pone.0211747, 14, 2, (e0211747), (2019).
- Cristina Jardi, Núria Aranda, Cristina Bedmar and Victoria Arija, Excess nutritional risk in infants and toddlers in a Spanish city, International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 10.1024/0300-9831/a000530, (1-11), (2019).
- Oladayo Idris, Olubunmi Wintola and Anthony Afolayan, Comparison of the Proximate Composition, Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid, α-Tocopherol and Retinol), Anti-Nutrients (Phytate and Oxalate) and the GC-MS Analysis of the Essential Oil of the Root and Leaf of Rumex crispus L., Plants, 10.3390/plants8030051, 8, 3, (51), (2019).
- Peter L. Weegels, The Future of Bread in View of its Contribution to Nutrient Intake as a Starchy Staple Food, Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 10.1007/s11130-019-0713-6, (2019).
- A. L. Darling, R. J. F. Manders, S. Sahni, K. Zhu, C. E. Hewitt, R. L. Prince, D. J. Millward and S. A. Lanham-New, Dietary protein and bone health across the life-course: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis over 40 years, Osteoporosis International, 10.1007/s00198-019-04933-8, (2019).
- Carolina P. Rocha, Henrique N. Cabral, Cláudia Nunes, Manuel A. Coimbra, Fernando J. M. Gonçalves, João C. Marques and Ana M. M. Gonçalves, Biochemical impacts in adult and juvenile farmed European seabass and gilthead seabream from semi-intensive aquaculture of southern European estuarine systems, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 10.1007/s11356-019-04825-8, (2019).
