§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what medical evidence has convinced his Department that textured vegetable protein can be used for up to 30 per cent. of institutionalised meals, in the light of medical evidence that such percentages produce digestive disorders in addition to unpalatability.
§ Dr. VaughanThe recommendation that up to 30 per cent. of vegetable pro-492W tein foods may replace meat in institutional catering was made in the report on the Nutritional Aspects of Vegetable Protein Foods which are meat analogues by an expert panel of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA), the Committee that advises the Department on the health aspects of nutrition (Report on Health and Social Subjects No. 17). The panel was set up to review the recommendations of the 1974 Food Standards Committee report on novel protein foods of which one recommendation was that up to 10 per cent. of vegetable protein foods may replace meat in institutional catering.
The panel had regard to the experience of the United States Department of Agriculture which has permitted the replacement of up to 30 per cent. of meat by suitably fortified vegetable protein food in its school lunch programme. Consultation with the USDA revealed that for more than seven years, this food has been used without evidence of any harmful effects resulting from this substitution. The panel's report drew to the attention of those responsible for planning the diets of certain groups of people, particularly the elderly, the fact that trials had shown that the introduction of vegetable protein foods might affect palatability and could be associated with excessive flatulence.