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Abstract Since the world is alarmed by the population explosion and food crisis, one may ask does the so-called protein gap in human nutrition that polarized the attention of nutritionists, food scientists and agronomists on the production of protein-rich foodstuff exist? Also one may ask whether there is any sense today in looking for•nonconventional sources of protein for animal and, possibly, human nutrition? It appears that protein deficiency, especially in very early life including that before birth, results in serious and irreversible damages to body development and mental health. In the words of the director General of the FAO: If the gap between protein requirement and protein intake continues to widen, if the prospects for closing it still fail to appear, the long term consequences will be disastrous by the most calm and sober standards of evaluation”. It must be considered that even today starvation and malnutrition are still widespread in vast portions of the world and that, not withstanding the success of the various ”green revolutions”. Present-day agriculture seems incapable of satisfying the most basic human need, adequate nutrition. |