Food Products Made with Glycomacropeptide, a Low-Phenylalanine Whey Protein, Provide a New Alternative to Amino Acid–Based Medical Foods for Nutrition Management of Phenylketonuria

Abstract

Phenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error in phenylalanine metabolism, requires lifelong nutrition management with a low-phenylalanine diet, which includes a phenylalanine-free amino acid-based medical formula to provide the majority of an individual's protein needs. Compliance with this diet is often difficult for older children, adolescents, and adults with PKU. The whey protein glycomacropeptide (GMP) is ideally suited for the PKU diet because it is naturally low in phenylalanine. Nutritionally complete, acceptable medical foods and beverages can be made with GMP to increase the variety of protein sources for the PKU diet. As an intact protein, GMP improves protein use and increases satiety compared with amino acids. Thus, GMP provides a new, more physiologic source of low-phenylalanine dietary protein for people with PKU.