Cereal Chem 50:233 - 239.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Comparisons of Dry Breakfast Cereals as Protein Resources: Human Biological Assay at Equal Intakes of Cereal.

C. Kies and H. M. Fox. Copyright 1973 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Comparative value of 11 dry breakfast cereals as sources of dietary protein for human adults has been determined. The dry breakfast cereals were fed to adult male volunteers at a level of 500 g. per day. This amount supplied nearly all of the protein (but in varying amounts) and approximately two-thirds of the daily caloric intake. By this approach, mean nitrogen balances of subjects while receiving the various test products were: Fortified Oat Flakes, +1.75; Special K, +1.73; Life, +1.49; Cheerios, +0.32; 40% Bran Flakes, +0.05; Kix, -0.19; Rice Krispies, -0.80; Shredded Wheat, -1.24; Wheaties, -1.30; Corn Chex, -1.32; and Corn Flakes, -2.22 g. N per day. Of the factors examined, seemingly total nitrogen content followed by crude protein digestibility were the characteristics most accountable for the differences in nitrogen balance results. This experimental approach evaluates value of products as sources of protein but does not adequately evaluate comparative protein quality of products. Nitrogen balance results suggested that total protein content followed by crude protein digestibility were factors most accountable for differences in value found.