Protein Labelling Accuracy for UK Patients with PKU Following a Low Protein Diet

Kraleva, Dilyana; Evans, Sharon; Pinto, Alex; Daly, Anne; Ashmore, Catherine; Pointon-Bell, Kiri; Rocha, Júlio César; MacDonald, Anita

doi:10.3390/nu12113440

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Protein Labelling Accuracy for UK Patients with PKU Following a Low Protein Diet

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Anita MacDonald

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Faculty of Health, Education & Life Sciences, Birmingham City University City South Campus, Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH, UK

Nutrition & Metabolism, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria, 130, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal

⁴

Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), R. Dr. Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Nutrients 2020, 12(11), 3440; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113440

Received: 21 September 2020 / Revised: 23 October 2020 / Accepted: 27 October 2020 / Published: 10 November 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet Therapy and Nutritional Management of Phenylketonuria)

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Abstract

A phenylalanine (protein)-restricted diet is the primary treatment for phenylketonuria (PKU). Patients are dependent on food protein labelling to successfully manage their condition. We evaluated the accuracy of protein labelling on packaged manufactured foods from supermarket websites for foods that may be eaten as part of a phenylalanine-restricted diet. Protein labelling information was evaluated for 462 food items (“free from”, n = 159, regular, n = 303), divided into 16 food groups using supermarket website data. Data collection included protein content per portion/100 g when food was “as sold”, “cooked” or “prepared”; cooking methods, and preparation instructions. Labelling errors affecting protein content were observed in every food group, with overall protein labelling unclear in 55% (n = 255/462) of foods. There was misleading, omitted, or erroneous (MOE) information in 43% (n = 68/159) of “free from” foods compared with 62% (n = 187/303) of regular foods, with fewer inaccuracies in “free from” food labelling (p = 0.007). Protein analysis was available for uncooked weight only but not cooked weight for 58% (n = 85/146) of foods; 4% (n = 17/462) had misleading protein content. There was a high rate of incomplete, misleading, or inaccurate data affecting the interpretation of the protein content of food items on supermarket websites. This could adversely affect metabolic control of patients with PKU and warrants serious consideration. View Full-Text

Keywords: phenylketonuria; food labelling; protein content; free from; gluten free

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kraleva, D.; Evans, S.; Pinto, A.; Daly, A.; Ashmore, C.; Pointon-Bell, K.; Rocha, J.C.; MacDonald, A. Protein Labelling Accuracy for UK Patients with PKU Following a Low Protein Diet. Nutrients 2020, 12, 3440. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113440

AMA Style

Kraleva D, Evans S, Pinto A, Daly A, Ashmore C, Pointon-Bell K, Rocha JC, MacDonald A. Protein Labelling Accuracy for UK Patients with PKU Following a Low Protein Diet. Nutrients. 2020; 12(11):3440. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113440

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kraleva, Dilyana, Sharon Evans, Alex Pinto, Anne Daly, Catherine Ashmore, Kiri Pointon-Bell, Júlio C. Rocha, and Anita MacDonald. 2020. "Protein Labelling Accuracy for UK Patients with PKU Following a Low Protein Diet" Nutrients 12, no. 11: 3440. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113440

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