Protein and Amino Acid Nutrition describes the state of knowledge concerning the nutrition of proteins and amino acids. Topics range from the effect of some therapeutic agents on protein and amino acid nutrition, to species and age differences in amino acid requirements; utilization of D-amino acids; effect of proteins and amino acids on the growth of adult tissue in vitro; and amino acid requirements of animals and young adults. This volume is organized into 16 chapters and begins with an overview of the nutritional implications of the metabolic interrelationships of amino acids. The next chapters discuss experiments that tested the differences in amino acid requirements due to the differences in age and in species among animals, the biochemical individuality of amino acid requirements, and the utilization of dietary proteins. This book explains the synthesis of tissue proteins in relation to the essential amino acids; the link between food energy and nitrogen metabolism; and the use of the repletion method to measure the nutritive value of proteins, protein hydrolyzates, and amino acid mixtures. The final chapter discusses the nutritional needs of the older age groups. This book is intended for scientists, students, and researchers interested in human and animal nutrition.

The nutritional quality of a protein depends on the proportion of its amino acids-especially the essential amino acids-their physio logical availability, and the specific requirements of the consumer. Availability varies and depends on protein source, interaction with other dietary components, and the consumer's age and physiological state. In many foods, especially those from plants, low levels of various essential amino acids limits their nutritive value. This is particularly important for cereals (which may be inadequate in the essential amino acids isoleucine, lysine, threonine, and tryto phan) and legumes (which are often poor sources of methionine). Moreover, these commodities are principle sources of protein for much of the earth's rapidly growing population. At the current annual growth rate of about 2 percent, the world population of about 4 billion will increase to 6.5 billion by the year 2000 and to 17 billion by the year 2050. Five hundred milliQn people are presently estimated to suffer protein malnutrition, with about fifteen thousand daily deaths. The ratio of malnourished to adequately nourished will almost surely increase. For these reasons, and especially in view of the limited availability of high quality (largely animal) protein to feed present and future populations, improvement of food and feed quality is especially important.

Amino acids (AAs) are not only building blocks of protein, but are also signalling molecules as well as regulators of gene expression and the protein phosphorylation cascade. Additionally, AAs are key precursors for syntheses of hormones and low-molecular weight nitrogenous substances with each having enormous biological importance. For example, physiological concentrations of AA metabolites (e.g., nitric oxide, polyamines, glutathione, taurine, thyroid hormones, and serotonin) are required for cell functions. Growing evidence shows that humans and animals have dietary requirements for all proteinogenic AAs. Mammals, birds and fish also have species- and age-dependent needs for some AA-related substances. However, elevated levels of other products (e.g., ammonia, homocysteine, H2S, and asymmetric dimethylarginine) are pathogenic factors for neurological disorders, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease. Thus, optimal amounts of AAs and their ratios in diets and circulation are crucial for whole body homeostasis and health. Adequate provision of one or a mixture of functional AAs or metabolites may be beneficial for ameliorating health problems at various stages of the life cycle (e.g., fetal growth restriction, neonatal morbidity and mortality, weaning-associated intestinal dysfunction and wasting syndrome, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome, and infertility). Dietary supplementation of these nutrients can also optimize the efficiency of metabolic transformations to enhance muscle growth, milk production, and athletic performance, while preventing excess fat deposition and reducing adiposity. Therefore, functional AAs hold great promise in improving the growth, health and well-being of individuals. Chapter 7 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Proteins in nutrition; The biological utilization of proteins and protein requirements; Caloric, vitamin and mineral requirements with particular reference to protein nutrition; Economic aspects of food proteins; The nutritive aspects of meat and meat products; The amino acid requirements of avian species; The relation of hormones to protein metabolism; Plasma proteins and their relation to nutrition; Protein deficiency and its relationship to nutritional anemia, hypoproteinemia, nutritional edema, and resistance to infection; Protein and amino acid nutrition in pediatrics and in pregnancy; Protein nutrition in surgical patients; The relation of fluid and mineral balance to protein metabolism; Proteins as related to burns; The protein nature of toxins, antitoxins and related substances; Protein nature of filtrable viruses.

Cereals belong to the most important elements in the history of mankind. From the beginning of agriculture, cereals have been by far the most important staple food in the world. Although the cereal consumption decreased to a low level in the developed countries in Europe and North America, in the devel oping countries over two-thirds of the calorie and protein intake is based on cereals. A substantial quantity of cereals goes indirectly into food via feed to animals. Generally, cereal proteins are classified as proteins of lower biological value because of shortage in lysine and some other essential amino acids. Recent developments in the de termination and evaluation of the biological value of proteins and protein mixtures suggest that the oversimplified earlier evaluation of cereal proteins must be reviewed. This book contains the edited proceedings of the Inter national Symposium on "Amino Acid Composition and Biological Value of Cereal Proteins", held in Budapest, Hungary, Hay 31- June 1, 1983, under the sponsorship of the International Association for Cereal Chemistry, Hungarian Scientific Society for Food Industry and Grain Trust, Hungary, with supplemental invited contributions. Scientists (biologist, plant breeders, farmers, chemists, biochemists, engineers, food technologists and nutritionists) from 17 countries presented and reviewed, along with partici pants from 20 countries, the recent methodology and trends in the determination of the biological value of cereal proteins, v the amino acid composition of cereal proteins and factors in fluencing the composition and the role of cereal proteins in nutrition and animal feeding.