Authenticity has become one of the biggest concerns in the protein industry. Many protein powders marketed as “pure,” “single-sourced,” or “100% legume/whey/plant” are, in reality, blended using cheaper proteins, amino acid spiking, fillers, sometimes even contaminated with heavy metals or toxins. For formulators and end users alike, this raises a critical question: how can you truly be sure of what’s in the tub before you scoop?

Wake-up call for the Industry

A landmark 2025 paper titled Food Fraud in Plant-Based Proteins: Analytical Strategies and Regulatory Perspectives highlights how rapidly expanding demand for plant-based proteins has intensified “food fraud” risks, including adulteration, mis-labelling and blending of cheaper protein sources or fillers. 

The study concludes that:

– Mis-labelling is now one of the fastest-growing fraud categories in plant proteins: The paper reports that as demand for plant-based proteins skyrockets, manufacturers increasingly misrepresent “single-source” or “pure” claims by blending cheaper isolates (pea, rice, faba, corn) and not declaring them on labels.

– Traditional protein testing methods often fail to detect adulteration: The study highlights that older nitrogen-based tests (like Kjeldahl) can be easily manipulated. Cheap amino acids (glycine, taurine) or non-protein nitrogen compounds can artificially inflate protein values,making a protein powder appear higher-quality than it is.

– 30- 40% of tested plant-protein samples showed undeclared blending: Advanced analytical techniques like LC-MS fingerprinting, DNA barcoding, and isotopic analysis revealed that many  “pea”, or “single-origin” proteins were actually blends with cheaper alternatives, primarily to reduce manufacturing costs.

To bring it closer to the real world: a separate 2025 study, “Authentication and quality assessment of whey protein-based sports supplements using portable near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging”  demonstrated that even with modern, portable testing (near-infrared spectroscopy + hyperspectral imaging), many whey-based sports supplements could be reliably authenticated, and adulterated samples identified, indicating that fraud detection is possible, but rarely used by all brands. 

Together, these studies paint a clear, troubling picture: many powders you see as “pure” or “single-sourced” are often anything but.

Practical Checks: How to avoid getting fooled

As formulators, wellness professionals or conscious consumers, there are some steps (and “hacks”) to help you avoid falling for misleading protein claims:

1. Request an Amino-Acid Profile Test: This can reveal whether the protein comes from the claimed source or if there’s nitrogen spiking via cheap amino acids.

2. Demand transparency & traceability: Choose brands that can trace their raw materials back to origin, show third-party lab certificates (protein content, toxin/heavy-metal screening, allergen testing, amino-acid profiles).

3. Be sceptical of “too good to be true” pricing: Unusually cheap packages claiming premium “single-source” protein should raise suspicion.

4. Blind-taste / functional check (with scrutiny): Sometimes blends or adulterated proteins behave differently (poor solubility, odd aftertaste, grittiness), though these are not foolproof. Use along with lab tests, not instead of.

What this means for anyone serious about Protein and why “Transparency” matters:  

For decades, the supplement industry has thrived on promise: “pure protein,” “single‑source,” “complete amino profile,” “clean label.” Today, science and advanced testing reveal that many of these labels are more marketing than reality.

If you are formulating products, building a nutrition brand, or investing in protein for health and longevity, rigour is no longer optional. Traceability, independent verification, and analytical transparency are essential. Your health, and not just your muscle mass, depends on it.

Brands that commit to transparency do more than earn consumer trust; they elevate industry standards and drive accountability across the supply chain.

This is why OMN9’s commitment to verified sourcing, third‑party testing, and end‑to‑end traceability is not a differentiator; it is a responsibility.