1. What is the Protein Calculation Formula?

The protein calculation formula estimates protein content in food samples from nitrogen content using the Kjeldahl method. This is a standard method for determining protein content in various food products.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the protein calculation formula:

Where:

• \( Nitrogen \) — Nitrogen content measured by Kjeldahl method (%)
• \( 6.25 \) — Standard conversion factor (most proteins contain about 16% nitrogen)

Explanation: The formula converts nitrogen percentage to protein content using a standard conversion factor based on the average nitrogen content of proteins.

3. Importance of Protein Calculation

Details: Accurate protein calculation is essential for nutritional labeling, quality control in food production, dietary planning, and research purposes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter nitrogen content as a percentage. The value must be valid (greater than 0). The calculator will automatically compute the protein content in grams per 100 grams of sample.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is 6.25 used as the conversion factor?
A: 6.25 is derived from the fact that most proteins contain approximately 16% nitrogen (100/16 = 6.25). This is a general conversion factor used for many food products.

Q2: Are there different conversion factors for different foods?
A: Yes, specific conversion factors exist for certain food types. For example: dairy products (6.38), cereals (5.70), and some legumes (5.30-6.25).

Q3: What is the Kjeldahl method?
A: The Kjeldahl method is a standard analytical procedure for the quantitative determination of nitrogen in organic substances, widely used for protein determination in foods.

Q4: What are the limitations of this calculation?
A: This method measures total nitrogen, not just protein nitrogen. It may overestimate protein content in samples containing non-protein nitrogen compounds.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: When using the appropriate conversion factor for the specific food type, this method provides a reliable estimate of protein content that is accepted for nutritional labeling purposes.