Plant foods for human protein nutrition: studies on soy, lupin and mixed vegetable sources

Abstract

In a world of limited non renewable natural resources those materials which can be renovated or recycled become crucial to ecological equilibrium. Moreover plant photosynthesis represents at present the only significant mechanism available for capturing solar energy. These facts explain why plants directly or indirectly are the key component of the mammalian food system. Human survival and evolution have been largely oriented by food availability. Present and future human welfare individually and socially is partly determined by the satisfaction of nutritional needs. Plant foods represent the major source of nutrients for humans [1]. They have been traditionally associated with the satisfaction of energy" needs but undoubtedly they provide valuable amino nitrogen for maintenance and growth as well as specific essential vitamins and minerals. The dilemma of producing animal versus plant foods is commanded by the economic realities of the market place on a global scale and not by ecological, biological, political or ethical considerations. The human demand for protein is not equally satisfied by plant or animal foods. The consumer in the industrialized as well as in the developing world prefers animal protein and is willing to pay considerably higher prices if he can afford it [2]. The preference of animal over vegetable protein is in part derived from the consumer's perception of quality and satisfaction. These subjective sensations are related to food beliefs and habits established early on in life and to the sociocultural environment where they are inserted. The biological quality of a given protein is weakly correlated with the market price. Nevertheless nutritional quality is a necessary condition in gaining consumer preference over time. We must stress that this is a necessary but insufficient condition. There are many examples of massive