New Metric Improves Assessment of Protein Quality in Meals

Wageningen, June 2024 – A team of researchers led by Dr. Pol Grootswagers has introduced a new method to assess the nutritional quality of meals: the Meal Protein Quality Score (MPQS). Published in Current Developments in Nutrition, the study outlines a novel way to evaluate both the quantity and the quality of protein in mixed meals—particularly relevant in the context of plant-based diets and healthcare nutrition.

Why MPQS?

Until now, tools like PDCAAS and DIAAS were primarily applied to individual food ingredients, making them less practical for evaluating full meals. The MPQS fills this gap by:

• Assessing meals against personalized amino acid requirements

• Incorporating protein digestibility

• Summarizing the most limiting amino acid in a single score

This enables dietitians, chefs, and researchers to judge whether a meal supports muscle maintenance and metabolic health, especially for populations with higher needs such as older adults or hospital patients.

Real-World Applications

The MPQS is already integrated in the Alpha Tool, a digital platform developed by Wageningen University to support sustainable and high-quality menu development. The score helps:

• Dietitians ensure amino acid adequacy in patient diets

• Chefs improve plant-based recipes without compromising nutrition

• Researchers and public health professionals assess dietary quality at the meal level

What Did the Study Show?

The team applied the MPQS to over 5,000 meals from Dutch food consumption data and found:

• Meals with a higher proportion of plant protein had significantly lower MPQS values

• Breakfast had the lowest average MPQS, indicating potential for improvement

• Adjusting for digestibility (using DIAAS where available) strongly influenced the score, especially in high-plant meals

  

A Step Forward in the Protein Transition

“This score bridges the gap between scientific accuracy and practical applicability,” says Dr. Grootswagers. “It allows us to make plant-based meals both healthier and more acceptable in settings like hospitals, schools, and homes.”

The publication marks a key milestone in making high-quality, sustainable nutrition measurable—and actionable.

👉 Read the full paper here:
Meal Protein Quality Score: A Novel Tool to Evaluate Protein Quantity and Quality of Meals

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