The relative nitrogen utilization method for evaluating protein quality.

A single-dose rat assay for protein quality called relative nitrogen utilization (RNU) is described. The method includes a factor for the protein utilized for maintenance. The protein quality of the test protein is expressed as a per cent of the value for lactalbumin, the reference protein. For good quality proteins RNU gives results that are similar to those obtained by net protein ratio and relative protein value; for poor quality proteins RNU results fall between values by the other 2 methods. The protein efficiency ratio (PER) gives much lower values for poor quality proteins than any of the other 3 aforementioned methods and is influenced more by both level of protein and lipid in the diet. RNU is a more precise assay then PER as judged by the coefficient of variation.