An international group (Advisory Committee on the Application of Science and Technology to Development, 1968) has stated that ‘The protein gap in the nutrition of the population of our planet is becoming a most important scientific, technological and health problem and a national and international policy issue. The Governments of developing countries should make every effort feasible to supply their populations as quickly as possible with sufficient high quality food and to develop and apply the necessary supporting science and technology in the fields of nutrition, food science and technology’.