Table Of ContentWorld Protein Resources
World
Protein
Resources
Allen Jones
MTP
Medical and Technical Publishing Co Ltd
ISBN-13: 978-94-011-7163-2 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-011-7161-8
DOl: 10.1007/978-94-011-7161-8
Published by
MTP
Medical and Technical Publishing Co. Ltd.,
St. Leonard's House,
St. Leonardgate,
Lancaster, England.
Copyright © 1974 by Allen Jones
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1974
No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form except for the quotation of
brief passages for the purposes of review.
Printed by The Garden City Press Limited,
Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 US.
Contents
page
PREFACE vii
PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO PROTEINS
1 General Comment 3
2 Protein chemistry 5
3 Proteins in diet 17
4 Vitamins 31
5 Minerals 35
6 Allergy, addiction, preference and prejudice 43
7 Mixtures and compounds 47
8 Preservation 50
9 Canning 55
PART 2 ANIMAL PROTEINS
10 Meat 63
11 Birds and poultry 97
12 Dairy protein 107
13 Fish 119
PART 3 VEGETABLE PROTEINS
14 Cereals 155
15 Fresh vegetables 161
16 Oilseeds 167
vi Contents
17 Pulses 183
18 Dehydrated vegetables in feed 186
19 Vegetable genetics 197
20 Monoculture 200
21 Infestation 203
22 Green leaf protein 209
PART 4 MICROBIAL PROTEINS
23 Algae 219
24 Fungi 223
25 Yeasts 228
26 Bacteria 248
27 Oil 257
PART 5 PROTEIN ECONOMICS
28 Variations in production, distribution and
consumption 265
29 Agricultural outputs 275
30 Industrial protein 280
31 World protein supply and demand 289
32 Speculation 309
33 Natural situations (selected countries) 319
34 Future proteins 362
INDEX 375
Preface
Protein is the origin. foundation and essential component of life and of
human activity. It is an emotive subject and any claim. statement or
opinion is sensitive to attack from experts and others who have a
restricted experience or are subjects of commercial or political pressure.
Many of the facts. opinions and forecasts are disputed and may be
disproved in due course. As presented. they are true as far as is known
but may represent little more than majority impression at the time of
writing. Changes in the seventies are rapid. drastic and mainly unantici
pated. At any time there could be a comprehensively influential discovery
or incident which could alter the entire pattern of protein supply and
demand.
Scientific and academic statements in this book may be criticised by
purists but it is to be appreciated that the book is intended for universal
appreciation. Statements are written to be understood within the context.
If the author offends by slightly bending the rules of scientific presen
tation. or by making a claim which might not prove absolutely accurate
if all factors are analysed. he makes no apology. When everybody in the
world has a full belly and a contented mind there will be time to argue
about details. At present. we need an extra 20 million tons of protein per
year. If this book helps to find it the author will be happy.
The author is grateful to many workers for the information. Many of
the tables are without identification. being collations. Where a source of
information is identified the author accepts no responsibility for its
accuracy.
Part I
Introduction to Proteins
Chapter 1
General Comment
Protein is an essential component in diet. The greatest single problem in
the world today is inefficient distribution of protein foods, without which
human beings are reduced in health including mental health. Some of
the inefficiency in distribution is deliberate and intended to inflate prices,
but it must be accepted that most of the failure to benefit from available
protein foods arises from ignorance and incompetence at all levels from
the consumer to the administrative organisations. Political interference
with the potential pattern of protein production and distribution is
notably inhibitive.
Consumers are, in general, ignorant of protein technology and there
is a background of preference and prejudice which limits patterns of
consumption. Notable perhaps is the emphasis on flesh protein with the
invalid impression that only fish and meat provide 'good' protein. The
eating of flesh is primeval, dating from the hunting and scavenging
period of man's development. It is directly related to the killer instinct
and has therefore become subject to regional and sectarian habits, prefer
ences, traditions, ceremonies and convictions. Throughout the develop
ment of man these social controls have influenced technological progress
and have caused unnecessary famines. Many of the present restricting
factors in diet can be related to social problems which no longer exist in
the society concerned. Likewise, many of the handling techniques for
flesh protein today were common in prehistoric times. There is a need
to educate all concerned with protein and to eradicate attitudes and
activities which prevent effective utilisation of available protein, which
4 Introduction to Proteins
will be shown to be much more than is needed to feed the world
population.
It is necessary to differentiate between protein needed for survival and
that needed for health, and to accept that the details of demand may be
dictated more by social considerations than by basic body needs. The
human body needs a comprehensive balance of amino acids and, since
we are still discovering facts about diet, it is better to over-estimate
requirements rather than work to calculated statistics.
The function of consumed protein is to manufacture body tissue and
to take part in body chemical reactions. It is obviously desirable that
the consumed protein has a similar composition to the protein pattern
of the consumer, so that the probability of deficiency is reduced. On the
other hand, possible amino-acid deficiencies in one protein source can
be compensated by mixing with another protein source of different amino
acid deficiency, giving a complete pattern of amino acids which is as
good as and can be better than a single protein source with a full pattern.
Satisfaction of personal demands in terms of type and condition of
food is a factor in mental health. Full benefit will not be gained if eating
is with revulsion and there is some evidence that bodies become attuned
to diets so that unfamiliar food groups may take time to be accepted (in
the chemical sense) by the digestion chemistry. On the other hand, bodies
have sufficient flexibility of chemical performance to adapt to new
conditions. New conditions have arisen in the world by urbanisation,
which divorced man from his fresh-food supply, and by overpopulation
associated with national boundaries, which prevented hungry man from
moving to pastures anew. When man now meets unsatisfactory diet it is
more difficult for him to change it.
With the current system of distribution and production, world agricul
ture can not be relied upon to feed the world. In fact, there could now
be sufficient disruption of ecological and social balances for agriculture
to be incapable of meeting requirements even if production was maxi
mised and distribution was efficiently organised. There is now an urgent
need to find protein sources which do not rely on climates and which
can, in effect, introduce protein foods which escape the confused pattern
of social and religious prejudice. Most potential is seen in microbial
protein, which can be manufactured by industrial techniques and which
is too new in its recent form to be condemned on religious grounds.
Chapter 2
Protein Chemistry
As the 'primeval soup' cooled it allowed the formation of water and
similar simple chemicals. Most of these clouded the atmosphere to
reduce levels of ultraviolet radiation. As temperatures dropped and
destructive radiation declined there were more chemicals manufactured
and retained in the 'soup' or in the space above. Further improvement
in the conditions allowed reaction between very large molecules, includ
ing those using the peculiar ability of carbon to link with more carbon
in a chain or network. A range of large molecules developed around
formaldehyde, water and ammonia, with additions as dictated by
accidental contact under conditions which encouraged the sharing of
energy patterns. Some energy structures had the ability to link together
as polymers without significant damage to the structures of the small
molecules which acted as mononers. An infinite number of such very
large molecules resulted from the various patterns in which monomers
combined. Variation was by type of monomers, number of monomers
and by the layout of the monomers in the final structure. Having a
complicated energy structure the large molecules were (to a greater or
lesser degree according to the individual energy patterns) able to re
organise or change with the uptake or release of energy. They could also,
to a greater or lesser degree. disintegrate to component members and
reform as new materials. Hence there developed a variety of intricate
reactions with energy transfer and reformation as operating systems.
leading to accidents of availability and conditions which allowed self
generation. Such self-generation required exceedingly varied and complex
