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To identify the potential anabolic properties of a dairy-plant protein blend as compared to single plant-based and single dairy protein, the postprandial amino acid (AA) response of pea protein, milk protein, micellar casein, and a casein–pea protein blend was investigated in healthy older adults (age 72.3 ± 3.4 years, BMI 25.3 ± 2.9 kg/m2). Plasma AA levels were measured, before and up to 5 h after ingestion of each 20 g protein. Blending casein–pea in a 60/40 mixture resulted in improved plasma AA availability, i.e. area under the curve (AUC) and peak height, of total (essential) AA and of key AAs methionine and leucine compared to pea only, while preserving the higher availability of arginine. The casein/pea blend clearly showed an AA response that was in between that of its single constituents, indicating that blending could be a solution to improve a lower quality (plant) protein, which could be of relevance for older adults.

Nowadays, a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle is the subject of much research. One example is the use of crossover trials to investigate the uptake of proteins, usually from alternatives to animal-based sources, by healthy volunteers. The data analysis is complex and requires many decisions on the part of the scientists involved. Such a process can be streamlined and made more objective and reproducible through bespoke software. This paper describes such a software package, aaresponse, for the R environment, available as open source. It features ample visualization functions, supports consistent curation strategies, and compares amino acid uptake of different protein meals (interventions) through the use of mixed models analysing parameters of interest like the area under the curve (AUC). The defining feature is the use of parametric curves to fit the amino acid levels over time, increasing the robustness of the approach and allowing for more strict quality control strategies.

Valorization and utilization of brewers’ spent grain (BSG) are of great interest in terms of reducing food waste and promoting more sustainable food systems. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the nutritional value of upcycled barley/rice proteins (BRP) extracted from BSG and compare this with pea proteins (PP). A randomized, cross-over, double-blind controlled trial was conducted with twelve participants (age: 24 ± 2.8 years, BMI: 23.3 ± 3.0 kg/m2). During three separate visits with a one-week washout period between visits, participants received 20 g BRP, PP, or the benchmark protein whey (WP). Blood-free amino acids (AA) were measured to determine postprandial AA uptake kinetics. The estimated total AA (TAA) uptake of BRP was 69% when compared to WP and 87% when compared to PP. The time to reach the maximum values was similar between the three protein sources. When comparing individual essential AA responses between BRP and PP, we observed higher responses in methionine and tryptophane and lower responses in lysine, histidine, and isoleucine for BRP compared to PP. This study demonstrates that BRP exhibits comparable postprandial TAA uptake profiles to PP. The findings highlight the complementarity of BRP and PP, which may offer the potential for blending approaches to optimize protein quality for overall health.