Evaluation of labeling and determination of proteins and starch in whey protein comercialized in Brazil

Abstract

Food supplements are widely used in specific diets for physical activity practitioners. Whey protein is one of the most sought after supplements for athletes and eventual practitioners of physical activity, acting on post-exercise muscle recovery. However, the indiscriminate use, motivated by the lack of reliable information and facility in the acquisition, can cause serious consequences for consumers. As a way to promote the rational use of food supplements, Brazil has a legislation that controls the labeling and commercialization of these products, to mention RDC 259/2002, RDC 360/2003 and RDC 18/2010, but cases of fraud are still recurrent. Based on this premise, this work had the objective of analyze seven brands of whey protein marketed in Brazil in order to verify its suitability to the parameters required by the aforementioned legislation. Samples were collected randomly in commerce in the city of Belo Horizonte, four national brands and three imported. First, an analysis of the labels was carried out in order to verify if the brands followed the predisposed by the Brazilian legislation. After that, it were carried out analyzes of protein content in order to verify their correspondence with the label and the qualitative determination of starch in order to verify product fraud. All the brands were approved in every analyzes, evidencing the effective application of the legislation and the reliability of the products. However, there is still a need for greater control of the use of these substances by the population and a greater alert about the possible risks caused.