Summary
This FAO expert consultation report formally proposed the DIAAS methodology as the preferred approach to assessing dietary protein quality in human nutrition, superseding the previously recommended PDCAAS. The report sets out reference amino acid scoring patterns for different population groups (infants, children, and older children/adults) and recommends the use of true ileal digestibility rather than faecal digestibility to improve accuracy. It provides a framework intended to guide national and international dietary guidance, food labelling, and nutrition policy.
UK applicability
Although produced by an international expert body rather than a UK-specific institution, DIAAS has direct applicability to UK dietary reference values, food labelling standards, and public health nutrition policy, particularly in the context of evaluating plant-based and animal-derived protein sources within UK diets.
Key measures
Digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS); true ileal digestibility coefficients; indispensable amino acid reference ratios by age group; protein quality rankings across food sources
Outcomes reported
The consultation evaluated existing methods of protein quality assessment and proposed the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) as a replacement for the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), reporting reference values for indispensable amino acid requirements and digestibility coefficients across food types.
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