Design and testing of foods differing in protein to energy ratios

Our aim was to design a selection of foods with differing proportions of protein but equal palatability in two settings, Sydney Australia and Kingston Jamaica. The foods were manipulated to contain 10, 15 or 25% E as protein with reciprocal changes in carbohydrate to 60, 55 or 45% E and dietary fat was kept constant at 30%. Naïve participants did not identify a difference in protein between the versions. On average, the versions were rated equal in pleasantness (Sydney-10%: 44 ± 2, 15%: 49 ± 2 and 25%: 49 ± 2 Kingston-10%: 41 ± 3, 15%: 41 ± 3 and 25%: 37 ± 3).