Digestibility of Fermotein™ (MyDi)

This study aims to assess the degree of digestibility of 3 different Fermotein™ products and compare this to a reference commercially available Mycoprotein (Quorn) and to assess the effects on blood glucose and insulin levels.

The study has a randomized, cross-over, double blind, controlled design. Four different treatments, all representing a 20g protein load, will be evaluated with a washout period of minimum one week between the test days. On test days, research subjects will receive a product e.g. Fermotein™ dry, Fermotein™ wet, modified Fermotein™ wet and a reference Mycoprotein (Quorn), in the form of a porridge, in randomized order. Blood will be collected via a catheter before and up-to five hours after protein consumption. Wellbeing, health complaints or other adverse effects will be collected via short questionnaires during each test day. After each test day gastrointestinal complaints are collected via an online questionnaire.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Digestive System
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Fermotein™ dry powder porridge; Other: Fermotein™ wet porridge; Other: Fermotein™ modified wet porridge; Other: Mycoprotein porridge (matching control)

Detailed Description

Mycoprotein is a protein source derived from fungi produced for human consumption. It is high in protein, high in fiber, low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol. Their functional properties and nutrient content make them ideal to use as an ingredient for meat alternatives. Fermotein™ is such a mycoprotein type novel food source. The digestion characteristics of Fermotein™ are not known, but essential to evaluate their future potential as a sustainable protein source. Also, information on the degree of digestibility would strengthen a novel food dossier that is being constructed for this product.

The primary objective is to assess the degree of digestibility of 3 different Fermotein™ products and compare this to a reference commercially available Mycoprotein (Quorn). Secondary objectives are to assess the effects on blood glucose and insulin levels.

The study has a randomized, cross-over, double blind, controlled design. Four different treatments, all representing a 20g protein load, will be evaluated with a washout period of minimum one week between the test days. On test days, research subjects will receive a product e.g. Fermotein™ dry, Fermotein™ wet, modified Fermotein™ wet and a reference Mycoprotein (Quorn), in the form of a porridge, in randomized order. Blood will be collected via a catheter before and up-to five hours after protein consumption. Wellbeing, health complaints or other adverse effects will be collected via short questionnaires during each test day. After each test day gastrointestinal complaints are collected via an online questionnaire.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Gelderland
    • Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands, 6708 WG
      • Stichting Wageningen Research

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Apparently healthy men and women;
• Age between 18 and 70 years;
• Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 ;
• Having veins suitable for blood sampling via a catheter (judged by study nurse/ medical doctor).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any metabolic, gastrointestinal, inflammatory or chronic disease (such as diabetes, anaemia, hepatitis, cardiovascular disease),or having a condition or disease that may lead to an impaired immune system
• History of gastrointestinal surgery or having (serious) gastrointestinal complaints;
• History of liver dysfunction (cirrhosis, hepatitis) or liver surgery;
• Kidney dysfunction (self-reported);
• Any use of medication that may suppress the immune system, this will be judged by the medical supervisor;
• Use of medication that may influence the study results, such as gastric acid inhibitors, laxatives, stomach protectors and drugs that can affect intestinal motility, this will be judged by the medical supervisor;
• Anaemia (Hb values <7.5 mmol/L for women and <8.5 mmol/L for men);
• Reported slimming, medically prescribed or other extreme diets;
• Not willing to give up blood donation during the study;
• Current smokers;
• Alcohol intake ≥4 glasses of alcoholic beverages per day;
• Pregnant, lactating or wishing to become pregnant in the period of the study (self-reported);
• Abuse of hard drugs;
• Having food allergies;
• Not having a general practitioner;
• Participation in another clinical trial at the same time;
• Being an employee of the department Food, Health & Consumer Research of Wageningen Food & Biobased Research.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Fermotein™ dry; Fermotein™ powder presented in the form of a porridge.	Other: Fermotein™ dry powder porridge; At one out of four test days: Fermotein™ dry powder mixed with water and a few drops of food grade flavor concentrates, to obtain a porridge representing a 20g protein load.
Experimental: Fermotein™ wet; Fermotein™ wet presented in the form of a porridge.	Other: Fermotein™ wet porridge; At one out of four test days: Fermotein™ wet mixed with water and a few drops of food grade flavor concentrates, to obtain a porridge representing a 20g protein load.
Experimental: Fermotein™ modified wet; Fermotein™ modified wet presented in the form of a porridge.	Other: Fermotein™ modified wet porridge; At one out of four test days: Fermotein™ modified wet mixed with water and a few drops of food grade flavor concentrates, to obtain a porridge representing a 20g protein load.
Active Comparator: Mycoprotein; This mycoprotein product presented in the form of a porridge.	Other: Mycoprotein porridge (matching control); At one out of four test days: Mycoprotein (Quorn) mixed with water and a few drops of food grade flavor concentrates, to obtain a porridge representing a 20g protein load.; Other Names: Quorn

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in degree of digestibility	In order to assess change in the degree of digestibility, we determine 19 free amino acids in blood samples collected via a catheter before and at several time points up-to five hours after protein source consumption. Blood amino acids will be determined by the laboratory of Wageningen FBR, according a valid method: AccQ-Tag ultra-derivation kit & HPLC.	During the intervention period on 4 test days: at baseline and postprandial blood samples will be collected from the cannula at 10 time points (T=0, 30, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 300 minutes).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in plasma glucose levels	Plasma glucose levels will be determined in blood samples collected via a catheter before and at several time points up-to five hours after protein source consumption (hospital laboratory Ziekenhuis Gelderse vallei, Ede, the Netherlands).	During the intervention period on 4 test days: at baseline and postprandial blood samples will be collected from the cannula at 9 time points (T=0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 300 minutes).
Change in plasma insulin levels	Plasma insulin levels will be determined in blood samples collected via a catheter before and at several time points up-to five hours after protein source consumption (hospital laboratory Ziekenhuis Gelderse vallei, Ede, the Netherlands).	During the intervention period on 4 test days: at baseline and postprandial blood samples will be collected from the cannula at 9 time points (T=0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 300 minutes).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wageningen University and Research
• Collaborators: The Protein Brewery

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 13, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 20, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): May 20, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 24, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): March 29, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 25, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 21, 2021
• Last Verified: May 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Digestibility; Mycoprotein; Fermotein™; Protein digestion kinetics
• Other Study ID Numbers: NL74595.081.20

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No