Protein dosage
| Expertise | Physicochemical, Nutritional |
|---|---|
| Method | Dumas, Kjedahl |
Description
Proteins are essential macronutrients, playing a fundamental role in growth, tissue repair, metabolism, and performance. Protein analysis is crucial for assessing the nutritional quality of foods, standardizing plant extracts, and ensuring the compliance of formulations intended for human and animal nutrition. Reference analytical methods provide a precise and reliable measurement of protein content, generally expressed as a percentage of dry matter.
Analytical methods for protein quantification
Two main methods are used to determine protein content:
- Dumas Method : This technique relies on the complete combustion of the sample to measure total nitrogen. Fast and precise, it is particularly well-suited to dry and processed matrices. The results are expressed as a percentage of protein, calculated from the nitrogen/protein conversion factor.
- Kjeldahl method : the traditional reference method, it consists of acid digestion followed by distillation and nitrogen titration. Although longer, it remains a recognized standard for food and nutraceutical products.
These analytical approaches are complementary to other nutritional assays, such as the assay of amino acids or the assay of dietary fiber .
Industrial and nutritional applications
Protein analysis is essential in various industrial contexts:
- Human nutrition : quality control of protein foods, validation of nutritional claims and monitoring of fortified products.
- Nutraceuticals : standardization of protein powders and formulations intended for sports performance, weight control or functional nutrition.
- Animal nutrition : balanced formulation of feed for livestock and companion animals, in order to optimize growth, productivity and health.
- Plant products : characterization of protein extracts from legumes, cereals or algae, increasingly used as alternatives to animal proteins.
This control is part of a continuum of other compositional analyses, such as lipid measurement or calorie calculation .
Matrices analyzed for protein quantification
YesWeLab supports a wide range of matrices for protein analysis: raw or concentrated plant extracts, nutritional powders, flours, processed foods, nutraceutical formulations, and animal feed products. Each matrix undergoes a tailored preparation and analytical protocol, ensuring representative and reliable results.
Quality and traceability issues
Controlling protein content is crucial for:
- Ensure regulatory compliance with nutritional labelling standards (INCO Regulation).
- Promote products through precise claims about protein content.
- Ensuring consistency between production batches is essential for consumer and distributor confidence.
- Optimize animal and human formulations , ensuring a protein intake adapted to targeted needs.
These challenges are similar to those encountered in monitoring other nutritional compounds, such as mineral or vitamin levels .
YesWeLab's expertise in protein assay
YesWeLab collaborates with a network of over 200 partner laboratories in France and Europe, accredited to ISO 17025 and COFRAC standards. Our experts guide each project toward the most suitable method (Dumas or Kjeldahl), depending on the matrix and objectives: quality control, regulatory compliance, or research and development. Our digital platform simplifies analysis management: online quote requests, real-time sample tracking, and rapid results. Since 2020, numerous manufacturers, distributors, and engineering firms have entrusted us with their protein analyses to guarantee the quality and reliability of their products.
Take action
Do you want to analyze the protein content of your extracts, powders, or nutritional formulations? Entrust your samples to YesWeLab for precise and compliant analysis. Request a quote online now for your analyses.
