INTRODUCING THE CITIZEN’S PROTEIN PROJECT – TWO

Citizen’s Protein Project — Part Two: The Next Check-Up

The same independent team that shook up India’s supplement market is back. This time MESH has bought 30 protein powders to find out if products sold as “pharmaceutical” protein products really give better value and safety than the flashier sports-nutrition brands. The study will again post every raw lab sheet online for anyone to audit.

Why Compare Pharma Protein with Gym Powders?

Hospital-style “medical nutrition” powders and shakes are trusted because they sit behind a chemist’s counter, yet labels show they often deliver only 10 g protein in a 30 g scoop and rely on cheap fillers such as maltodextrin and added sugar. By contrast, most sports whey isolates give 24-25 g protein for the same scoop size.

The Study Game-Plan

• Samples: 30 best-selling products from pharma companies, as well as major sports-nutrition firms.
• Tests: True protein %, sugar and calorie load, heavy metals, pesticides, aflatoxins, complete gas-chromatography and mass-spectroscopy scan and artificial-sweetener tally and cost-per-gram of real protein.
• Output: Open-access report + searchable spreadsheet that anyone can slice and share.

What Earlier Science Already Warns

• A 2024 multi-lab audit found 70 % of Indian protein powders were mis-labelled or spiked with cheap amino acids. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
• Independent tests in the US and India keep detecting lead, cadmium and arsenic above safety limits in nearly half of powders on the shelf. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
• Case reports link both poorly manufactured whey and soy powders to serious liver injury. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, journals.lww.com)
• Pharma-style nutrition shakes have not escaped trouble—50 + brands were recalled in 2022-25 for bacterial contamination including Listeria and Cronobacter. (aarp.org, fda.gov)
• Courts in India have begun fining companies for “protein spiking” and false claims. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Early Clues: Pharma Drinks May Cost More, Deliver Less

A 400 g tin of a popular pharma drink costs about ₹600 yet supplies just 34 g protein per 100 g—roughly ₹4.50 per gram of protein. A mainstream whey isolate at similar price per kilo delivers over 80 g protein per 100 g, slicing the cost per gram by a third and without the added sugar hit. (protinex.com, amazon.com)

6. Why Crowd-Funded Checks Matter

When industry or regulators lag, citizen science steps in. Transparent, user-funded projects:

• Expose gaps quickly: Results land in weeks, not years.
• Build public trust: No corporate money, no hidden data.
• Pressure regulators: Open evidence forces faster action. 

Public-Health Pay-Off for India

High-sugar, low-protein “medical” drinks can worsen diabetes risk and make long-term high-protein therapy unaffordable. Independent testing helps:

• Patients choose truly protein-dense options.
• Doctors prescribe with confidence.
• Honest brands win; shady ones exit.

How You Can Help

How You Can Be a Part of This
Executing our public health investigations relies on generous financial support—particularly for laboratory testing, which constitutes the bulk of project expenses. We’re pleased to partner with a reputable lab that has offered us a humanitarian-rate for analyses, yet each sample test still costs ₹20,000. To make it easy for supporters of every budget to contribute, we’ve broken down the cost into four giving levels:

Option 1: Full Test Sponsorship – ₹20,000

Option 2: Half Test Sponsorship – ₹10,000

Option 3: Quarter Test Sponsorship – ₹5,000

Option 4: Minimum Support – ₹500

We have 30 samples queued for testing. By selecting one of these options, you’ll ensure timely completion of our study and directly impact the safety of food, medicines, and supplements in our communities. Your cooperation and support are invaluable—thank you for helping us protect public health.

Details of the Proteins Identified