Method and system for purifying natural protein raw material

Abstract

To provide a method and system for purifying natural protein raw material, capable of purifying natural protein raw material directly from a worm body without manual operation only by a chemical engineering process.SOLUTION: The purification method comprises: a pretreatment in which a worm body of a silk worm is pulverized to produce a treatment solution containing a silk gland having a first objective substance and a second objective substance; a first separation treatment in which a sediment mainly containing the silk gland is obtained from the pretreated treatment solution by specific gravity separation and each part of the worm body other than the silk gland is removed; a second separation treatment in which an aqueous solution obtained by eluting the second objective substance from the sediment obtained in the first separation treatment is obtained, and the contents of the silk gland mainly containing the first objective substance and the aqueous solution containing the second objective substance are separately obtained; a first objective substance recovery treatment in which the first objective substance is obtained from the contents of the silk gland mainly containing the first objective substance obtained in the second separation treatment; and a second objective substance recovery treatment in which the second objective substance is obtained from the aqueous solution containing the second objective substance obtained in the second separation treatment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an industrial purification method for a natural protein raw material for industrially purifying a protein raw material from silkworm larvae and an industrial purification system for a natural protein raw material.

Background Art

[0002] Since ancient times, humans have created various things from naturally derived raw materials and lived. Since the mid-20th century, chemical fibers and plastics made from fossil fuels suitable for mass production have become the mainstream of materials in addition to metals and ceramic materials, replacing naturally derived raw materials such as natural fibers and celluloid. However, chemical fibers and plastics made from fossil fuels generate carbon dioxide and the like by combustion after disposal, promoting global warming, and thus are factors contributing to climate change. In addition, since the reserves are limited, there is also a problem that they will be depleted in the future. Furthermore, there are reports that plastics and chemical fibers made from fossil fuels are found in the bodies of marine organisms, and there are concerns about their impact on the marine environment, biodiversity, and human health through the food chain. Therefore, the conversion to naturally derived raw materials to eliminate dependence on fossil fuel resources has become an issue.

[0003] Among the next-generation naturally derived raw materials, insects have attracted attention as resources with great potential (see Patent Document 1). Insects account for about 70% of the animals on Earth, and there are said to be about 1 million known species and more than 20 million species including unknown ones, and they are also said to be the most prosperous organisms on Earth. For example, insects are expected as rich protein resources. The technology described in Patent Document 1 uses insects as food ingredients.

[0004] One type of insect is the silk-producing silkworm. Silkworms are known to exist in about 3,000 species on Earth, and including unknown ones, there are said to be more than 100,000 species. A typical silkworm is the silkworm moth (its larva is the silkworm), but other various moths of Lepidoptera, bagworms, and larvae such as wasps, spiders, mantises, and mites, as well as insects that produce nest silk, are also included in silkworms. The materials produced by these silkworms are diverse and hold potential in a wide range of fields such as cosmetics and medical materials. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for purifying proteins from spider silk.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The silk produced by the silkworm, which is representative of silkworms, has been conventionally used for high - grade clothing due to its beauty and flexibility. Silk is made from the cocoon silk produced by silkworms. To raise silkworms, fresh mulberry leaves are given as food. When the silkworms grow to mature silkworms just before spitting out silk, the sericulturists perform the operation of placing the silkworms one by one into a box with a wooden frame partitioned before the silkworms make cocoons. The silkworms make cocoons in the wooden box. After that, the silk manufacturers sink the made cocoons into hot water and perform the operation of boiling the cocoons. After boiling the cocoons, the silk - reeling operation of winding the silk that makes up the cocoons onto a reeling frame is carried out to obtain silk. During this period, sericulturists and silk manufacturers manually perform operations such as mulberry leaf harvesting, temperature and humidity management, and cleaning work, which require a great deal of labor every few hours, so silk has inevitably become expensive.

[0007] Silk thread has a structure in which a fibrous fibroin protein at the center is surrounded by a sticky sericin protein. Among proteins, sericin has a composition that is extremely close to the components contained in human skin and has been used as a cosmetic or medical material in recent years. On the other hand, fibroin is used as silk thread by removing sericin (see Patent Document 3). Even in these utilization methods, first, silkworms are made to produce cocoons, and each protein is separated and purified from the silk thread, and the situation has not been free from high cost.

[0008] Therefore, in order to omit the operation for making cocoons, which is the cause of the high cost of products, and the process that requires manual labor to obtain silk from cocoons, a technique has been tried to directly extract the silk gland from mature silkworms before making cocoons and directly recover the extract for protein synthesis from the silk gland (see Patent Document 4). However, in the method for extracting the silk gland from mature silkworms described in Patent Document 4, although there is no cocoon process, the process of extracting the silk gland is all performed manually and has not been liberated from the process that requires manual labor at all.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to aim at the production of natural protein raw materials as raw materials for producing fibers, films, and other shaped objects that can compete with conventional plastics and chemical fibers mass-produced from fossil fuels in a near-unmanned chemical complex, and to directly extract the target substance from the body of silk worms without manual labor and continuously obtain the necessary substances, thereby innovating the technology for manufacturing silk worm-derived protein raw materials.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to the present invention comprises a pretreatment of pulverizing the body of a silk worm to produce a treatment liquid containing a silk gland having a first acquisition target substance and a second acquisition target substance, and a first separation treatment of obtaining a precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland from the pretreated treatment liquid by specific gravity separation and removing each part of the body of the silk worm other than the silk gland, and An aqueous solution in which the second target substance is eluted from the precipitate obtained by the first separation treatment is obtained, and a second separation treatment for separately obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance is performed. A first target substance recovery treatment for obtaining the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained by the second separation treatment. A second target substance recovery treatment for obtaining the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance obtained by the second separation treatment. having characterized by this.

Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to the present invention, the natural protein raw material can be efficiently purified without manual work only by a chemical engineering process directly from the insect body without going through the cocoon, pupa, or nest formation process by the insect itself.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

[0013] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, the flow of the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The flow of the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment purifies the natural protein raw material from silkworm larvae. Here, the raw material refers to the material raw material supplied to the subsequent process, and purification means separating and obtaining.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an example of the flow of the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the overall method will be briefly described, and the methods at each stage will be described later.

[0015] The method for purifying a natural protein raw material first performs a preservation process in step 1 (ST1). The preservation process is to soak the silkworm larvae in alcohol or freeze them to obtain the preserved worm bodies. Note that the silkworm larvae handled in this technology preferably have a body length of about 10 mm or more.

[0016] Subsequently, in step 2, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material performs a pretreatment (ST2). The pretreatment is to add pure water to the preserved worm bodies and then perform a pulverization process in water to obtain a treatment liquid containing each part of the worm bodies. Here, the pure water includes purified water and distilled water. Also, not limited to pure water, ion-exchanged water, tap water, drinking water, and sterilized water may be used.

[0017] Subsequently, in step 3, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material performs a first separation process (ST3). The first separation process separates the precipitate mainly composed of silk glands from the treatment liquid containing each part of the worm bodies by specific gravity separation and washes it to obtain a washed precipitate mainly composed of silk glands.

[0018] Subsequently, in step 4, the method for purifying the natural protein raw material performs a second separation process (ST4). The second separation process obtains a silk gland content mainly containing a first target substance to be obtained and an aqueous solution containing a second target substance to be obtained from the sediment mainly composed of the washed silk gland separated in the first separation process. Note that only one of the first target substance to be obtained and the second target substance to be obtained may be obtained. Also, at the beginning of the second separation process, the sediment mainly composed of the washed silk gland may be pulverized.

[0019] Subsequently, in step 5, the method for purifying the natural protein raw material performs a first target substance recovery process (ST5). The first target substance recovery process obtains the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained in the second separation process by washing and, if necessary, adjusting the fluidity with a solvent.

[0020] Subsequently, in step 6, the method for purifying the natural protein raw material performs a second target substance recovery process (ST6). The second target substance recovery process obtains the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance.

[0021] The first target substance as a natural protein raw material can be widely used as a fiber or film medical raw material, etc., and plays an important role as a fossil resource-free material replacing conventional fossil resource materials such as plastics and chemical fibers. The second target substance has high biocompatibility and moisturizing properties and is widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, etc. The method for purifying the natural protein raw material can reduce labor by minimizing manual work until the natural protein raw material is purified from the silk worm, and can efficiently purify the natural protein raw material.

[0022] Hereinafter, a natural protein raw material purification system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The natural protein raw material purification system 10 of the present embodiment purifies a natural protein raw material from a silk worm using the method for purifying the natural protein raw material.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an example of the natural protein raw material purification system 10 of the present embodiment.

[0024] The natural protein raw material purification system 10 of this embodiment includes a preservation processing device 1 for preserving the silkworm larvae, a pretreatment device 2 for pulverizing the preserved larvae in water, a first separation device 3 for obtaining a precipitate mainly composed of the washed silk gland from the processing liquid containing each part of the pretreated silkworm larvae, a second separation device 4 for separately obtaining an aqueous solution containing a silk gland content mainly containing a first target substance (poorly water-soluble protein) and a second target substance (water-soluble protein) from the obtained product of the first separation device 3, a first target substance recovery device 5 for obtaining the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained by the second separation device 4, and a second target substance recovery device 6 for obtaining the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance obtained by the second separation device 4. Further, a molding device for molding the proteins obtained from the first target substance recovery device 5 and the second target substance recovery device 6 may be provided. The molding device may be provided separately for each of the first target substance and the second target substance.

[0025] The preservation processing device 1 includes a treatment unit 1a for pickling or freezing the silkworm larvae, and a preservation unit 1b such as a container for recovering and preserving the killed larvae. The silkworm larvae processed in the preservation processing device 1 can be stored for a long time until natural protein raw materials are needed. In this way, the preservation processing device 1 can absorb fluctuations on the supply side by enabling long-term storage of the silkworm larvae.

[0026] The pretreatment device 2 has a pure water mixing unit 2a and a pulverization unit 2b in water. In the pulverization unit 2b in water, the silkworm larvae are pulverized into small pieces using a rotating blade. The pulverization unit 2b in water performs the pulverization process by adding an appropriate amount of water or aqueous solution, for example, about 1:1 with respect to the volume of the silkworm larvae. By pulverizing in this way, it becomes possible to recover the silk gland organ without significantly damaging it. The pulverization unit 2b in water has a single-stage or multi-stage structure with the distance between the rotating blade and the wall surface adjusted in 0.1 mm units, and continuously obtains a processing liquid containing each part of the pulverized silkworm larvae such as the silk gland. Note that the pretreatment device 2 may directly input the silkworm larvae alive into the pure water mixing unit 2a without using the preservation processing device 1, put them in a state of suspended animation, and then pulverize them in the pulverization unit 2b in water.

[0027] Figure 3 shows an example of the first separation device 3 of the natural protein raw material purification system 10 of the present embodiment.

[0028] The first separation device 3 includes a specific gravity separation unit 3a that separates a sediment mainly composed of silk glands from the treatment liquid containing each part of the insect body pulverized in the underwater pulverization unit 2b of the pretreatment device 2, a sediment recovery unit 3b that recovers and washes the sediment mainly composed of silk glands, and a skimming rotating blade 3c that removes floating substances such as the outer skin.

[0029] The specific gravity separation unit 3a uses, for example, a container such as a tank to separate a sediment B mainly composed of silk glands, floating substances such as the outer skin, and body fluid C from the treatment liquid containing each part of the insect body with pure water A or the like as a separation liquid in the container. The floating substances such as the outer skin are removed from the separation liquid C containing body fluid or the like by skimming or the like. Note that the specific gravity separation unit 3a may not use a container.

[0030] The sediment recovery unit 3b recovers and washes the sediment B mainly composed of silk glands separated by the specific gravity separation unit 3a. For recovery and washing, for example, a mesh conveyor or the like may be installed at the bottom of the container to transport the sediment B (mainly composed of silk glands) to the tank outlet, and a washing device using running water or the like may be installed.

[0031] Figure 4 shows an example of the second separation device 4 of the natural protein raw material purification system 10 of the present embodiment.

[0032] The second separation device 4 includes a liquid addition, heating, and stirring unit 4a and a filtration unit 4b. The liquid addition, heating, and stirring unit 4a includes a liquid addition unit 4a1 for storing an aqueous solution, a heating unit 4a2 for heating the liquid addition unit 4a1, and a stirring unit 4a3 for stirring the inside of the liquid addition unit 4a1. The liquid addition unit 4a1 is a heating and stirring tank that stores an aqueous solution used in a normal manner with the addition of an alkali or a surfactant, etc. In the case of normal pressure, the sediment mainly composed of the washed silk gland is stirred for about 2 hours in an appropriate temperature range (75 °C or higher and a temperature range that does not cause protein denaturation) to dissolve the second target substance to be obtained in the aqueous solution, disperse the silk gland epithelium and the inner membrane fragments, and sediment the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained. When the second separation device 4 is provided with a pressurization function and pressurization treatment is performed, the addition of an alkali or a surfactant, etc. becomes less or unnecessary. Note that heating may not be performed, and in that case, the heating unit 4a2 may not be installed. Also, the heating unit 4a2 may be cooled as a temperature adjustment unit.

[0033] The filtration unit 4b is equipped with a sieve for separating solids and a filter for filtration, etc. It leaves the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained that has sedimented in the liquid addition, heating, and stirring unit 4a on the sieve, separates the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained from the silk gland epithelium and the inner membrane fragments and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance to be obtained, and can separate the aqueous solution containing the second target substance to be obtained by filtering the aqueous solution containing the silk gland epithelium and the inner membrane fragments and the second target substance to be obtained. Instead of using a sieve, etc. for sieving, the aqueous solution containing the silk gland epithelium and the inner membrane fragments and the second target substance to be obtained may be removed by decantation.

[0034] The first target substance recovery device 5 includes a solution concentration adjustment unit 5a, which is a container such as a tank for adjusting the fluidity, etc. of the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance separated by the second separation device 4 with a solvent, and a storage unit 5b, which is a container such as a tank for storing the solution containing the first target substance dissolved in the solution concentration adjustment unit 5a.

[0035] The solution concentration adjustment unit 5a is a container such as a tank. After adding pure water to the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance separated by the second separation device 4 for washing and dehydration to remove the aqueous solution adhering to the second separation device 4, if necessary, a solvent capable of penetrating or dissolving in the silk gland content is added to adjust the fluidity. The solvent is a poorly water-soluble protein-soluble solvent. For example, hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP), hexafluoroacetone (HFA) hydrate, formic acid, etc. may be used. Note that the container for washing and dehydration and the container for fluidity adjustment may be separate.

[0036] The storage unit 5b is, for example, an airtight container such as glass that can be sealed, and stores the solution of the first target substance washed by the solution concentration adjustment unit 5a and whose fluidity is adjusted if necessary. The container only needs to have chemical resistance and does not have to be glass.

[0037] The second target substance recovery device 6 has a processing unit 6a that stirs, centrifuges, and washes the aqueous solution containing the second target substance separated by the second separation device 4, and a storage unit 6b for drying and storage. The processing unit 6a adds an alcohol such as ethanol to the aqueous solution containing the second target substance separated by the second separation device 4 to precipitate the second target substance by the poor solvent effect, sediment this by centrifugation, and add pure water for washing and drying to obtain the second target substance. Note that if an alkali or a surfactant is not added in the liquid addition, heating, and stirring unit 4a, washing may not be necessary. In the storage unit 6b, the obtained second target substance is hermetically stored in an airtight container or the like.

[0038] Next, each process of the natural protein raw material purification method of this embodiment will be specifically described.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows an example of the flow of the storage process of the natural protein raw material purification method of this embodiment.

[0040] The preservation process first executes the preservation process in step 1 (ST1). The preservation process is to preserve the silkworm larvae after treating them in a state of suspended animation or disposal by alcohol immersion or freezing, etc. The silkworm larvae are in a state of producing silk, and in the case of silkworms, it is preferable to select the mature silkworms after their last urination and defecation. In the case of alcohol treatment, it is left standing for at least about 3 days. By treating the silkworm larvae to a state where they can be preserved, the silkworm larvae can be made into preserved silkworm larvae that can be stored for a long time, absorbing fluctuations on the supply side, and it is also possible to respond to demand fluctuations in the downstream process. The frozen silkworm larvae are preferably thawed and returned to a softness close to that of a living body before being subjected to underwater pulverization treatment. Note that the preservation process may not be executed. If the preservation process is not performed, there will be a difference in the separation efficiency in the second separation step, and the preservability and stability of the obtained target substance may change from the case where the preservation process is performed, but it is also possible to select whether to perform the preservation process according to the performance required for the obtained target substance. Note that it is also possible to perform the preservation process after the first separation process described later without performing the preservation process before the pulverization process, and thereby obtain an obtained target substance having performance corresponding to the case where the preservation process is performed by the preservation processing apparatus 1.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows an example of the flow of the pretreatment of the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to the present embodiment.

[0042] The pretreatment first executes the mixing of pure water in step 21 (ST21). For the mixing of pure water, water of about the same volume as the insect body may be added. In step 22, underwater pulverization treatment is executed (ST22). The underwater pulverization treatment uses a rotating blade to pulverize the silkworm larvae into small pieces and obtain a treatment liquid containing each part of the insect body. The rotating blade has a single-stage or multi-stage structure with the interval from the wall surface adjusted in units of 0.1 mm, and continuously obtains a treatment liquid containing each part of the insect body such as the pulverized silk gland. The pulverization time may be a time that does not finely pulverize the insect organs. By pulverizing in this way, it becomes possible to recover the silk gland organs without significantly damaging them.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows an example of the flow of the first separation process of the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to the present embodiment.

[0044] In the first separation process, first, in step 31, the treatment liquid containing each part of the pulverized silkworm body is separated by specific gravity separation with pure water (ST31). The treatment liquid containing each part of the insect body and pure water are put into a stirring layer such as a tank, for example, and separated. The liquid used for specific gravity separation may be other than pure water, or may be a heavy liquid with adjusted density. The specific gravity separation can be carried out either continuously or batchwise. In the case of batchwise, using a container such as a tank, a predetermined amount of pulverized insect bodies pulverized by the pretreatment device 2 is stirred in a predetermined treatment liquid, and after the stirring stops, the suspension is drained by decantation or the like to recover the sediment.

[0045] Subsequently, in the first separation process, in step 32, floating substances such as the outer skin and body fluid are removed, and a sediment mainly composed of silk glands is obtained (ST32). In the case of the sediment, the process proceeds to step 33. The floating substances such as the outer skin and body fluid that are not sediment are removed.

[0046] Next, in the first separation process, in step 33, the sediment is recovered and washed with water flow to obtain a washed sediment mainly composed of silk glands (ST33). The sediment mainly composed of silk glands obtained here can also be used as the obtained substance as the silk gland content with silk gland epithelium and inner membrane.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows an example of the flow of the second separation process of the natural protein raw material purification method of the present embodiment.

[0048] In the second separation process, in step 41, in order to dissolve the second target substance from the sediment mainly composed of the washed silk glands, it is stirred with water or an aqueous solution (ST41). Existing methods can be used in step 41. For example, in a heating and stirring tank, it is stirred at a temperature of 75 ° C or higher for about 2 hours with an aqueous solution used in a normal manner with about 0.02% (volume) of sodium bicarbonate, a surfactant, etc. added, so as to dissolve the second target substance from the sediment mainly composed of the washed silk glands into the aqueous solution. By using a pressure tank, the dissolution by using only water is promoted.

[0049] Next, in the second separation process, at step 42, the processing liquid after step 41 is subjected to specific gravity separation or sieving (ST42). By this operation, the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained is separated from the silk gland epithelium and the broken inner membrane and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance to be obtained. The silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained proceeds to the first target substance recovery process. Subsequently, at step 43, the sediment or the substance on the sieve is separated from the rest (ST43). In step 43, the sediment or the substance on the sieve proceeds to the first target substance acquisition process. In step 43, the silk gland epithelium and the broken inner membrane and the like other than the sediment or the substance on the sieve are separated from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance by filtration at step 44 (ST44). Next, at step 45, the filtrate is separated from the silk gland epithelium and the broken inner membrane and the like (ST45). The filtrate proceeds to the second target substance recovery process as an aqueous solution containing the second target substance to be obtained.

[0050] Figure 9 shows an example of the flow of the first target substance recovery process of the natural protein raw material purification method of the present embodiment.

[0051] In the first target substance recovery process, first, at step 51, pure water is added to the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance separated in the second separation process for washing and dehydration (ST51). Subsequently, in the first target substance recovery process, at step 52, a solvent is added to adjust fluidity and the like (ST52). Further, in the first target substance recovery process, at step 53, the first target substance with adjusted fluidity and the like is stored (ST53). By doing so, the first target substance with adjusted fluidity and the like that can be stored for a long period can be stored. Note that step 52 may not be performed, and a pellet or a rod-shaped solid may be used as the first target substance.

[0052] The solvent is a poorly water-soluble protein-soluble solvent, for example, hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP), hexafluoroacetone (HFA) hydrate, formic acid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, N-dimethylacetamide (DMA / N), N-dimethylformamide (DMF / N), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMS), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), etc.

[0053] Figure 10 shows an example of the flow of the second target substance recovery process of the natural protein raw material purification method of the present embodiment.

[0054] In the second target substance recovery process, first, in step 61, the second target substance in the aqueous solution containing the second target substance separated in the second separation process is precipitated by crystallization (ST61). Subsequently, in step 62, the substances added so far are separated by centrifugation (ST62). Subsequently, in step 63, pure water is added to the precipitated second target substance for washing (ST63). Subsequently, it is dried by an existing drying method, and powdering, film formation, etc. are performed (ST64). Further, in step 65 of the second target substance recovery process, the second target substance is stored (ST65). By doing so, the second target substance that can be stored for a long time can be stored. In step 61, for example, ethanol can be added and stirred to precipitate the second target substance by the poor solvent effect. Also, powdering may be performed by spray drying or freeze drying. Note that an aqueous solution with adjusted concentration may be stored as the second target substance without drying.

[0055] Here, the first target substance and the second target substance of the present embodiment will be described. The first target substance of the present embodiment is a poorly water-soluble protein, and the second target substance is a water-soluble protein. Table 1 below specifically shows the first target substance and the second target substance of the present embodiment using several silkworm moths as examples.

Table 1

[0056] In the case of silkworm moths, mealworms, and wild silk moths, the first target substance to be obtained is fibroin, and the second target substance to be obtained is sericin. In the case of spiders, the first target substance to be obtained is spidroin, and the second target substance to be obtained is glycoprotein. In the case of the Japanese golden orb-weaver spider, the first target substance to be obtained is fibroin, and the second target substance to be obtained is group protein.

[0057] The water-insoluble protein as the first target substance to be obtained is formed into fibers, membranes, and three-dimensional structures, and processed into pharmaceuticals, beauty products, etc. The water-soluble protein as the second target substance to be obtained is used as a raw material such as powder or aqueous solution in pharmaceuticals, beauty products, etc. For example, a sericin aqueous solution, etc. is prepared from the water-soluble protein with adjusted concentration. The sericin aqueous solution has a moisturizing component and is used in cosmetics, etc.

[0058] Natural protein raw materials such as the water-insoluble protein as the first target substance to be obtained and the water-soluble protein as the second target substance to be obtained can be widely used as fibrous or film-like medical raw materials, etc., and play an important role as a fossil resource-free material replacing conventional fossil resource materials such as plastics and chemical fibers.

[0059] As described above, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment includes a pretreatment of pulverizing the body of the silkworm moth to produce a treatment liquid containing the silk gland having the first target substance and the second target substance, and obtaining a precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland from the pretreated treatment liquid by specific gravity separation, and removing each part of the body other than the silk gland in the first separation process. An aqueous solution in which the second target substance is eluted is obtained from the precipitate obtained in the first separation process, and a second separation process of separately obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance, and the first target substance recovery process of obtaining the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained in the second separation process, and the second target substance recovery process of obtaining the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance obtained in the second separation process. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can efficiently purify the natural protein raw material without manual operation only by a chemical engineering process directly from the insect body without going through the process of forming a cocoon, pupa or nest by the insect itself.

[0060] In addition, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment includes a process of storing the silkworm moth before the pretreatment. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can store the silkworm moth as a material until the natural protein raw material is needed, so it is not as busy as in the past in terms of time, and the natural protein raw material can be efficiently purified throughout the year.

[0061] In addition, in the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment, the first separation process includes a process of subjecting the treatment liquid containing each part of the body of the silkworm moth pulverized in the pretreatment to specific gravity separation, and a process of recovering the precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland sedimented by specific gravity separation and washing it with water flow. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can appropriately separate the washed precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland.

[0062] In addition, in the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment, the second separation process includes a process of putting the precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland recovered in the first separation process into water or an aqueous solution of a chemical and stirring it, a process of subjecting the liquid stirred in the stirring process to specific gravity separation or sieving, and a process of obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained that has settled by specific gravity separation or remained on the sieve by sieving. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can appropriately separate the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance to be obtained.

[0063] In addition, in the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment, the second separation process includes a process of filtering substances other than the precipitate that has settled by specific gravity separation or substances other than those remaining on the sieve by sieving, and a process of obtaining an aqueous solution containing the second target substance from the filtered filtrate. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can appropriately separate the aqueous solution containing the second target substance.

[0064] In addition, in the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment, the first target substance recovery process includes a process of washing and dehydrating the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance with pure water, and a process of putting the dehydrated silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance into a solvent, adjusting the fluidity, and obtaining the first target substance. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can appropriately recover the first target substance.

[0065] In addition, in the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment, the second target substance recovery process includes a process of stirring and crystallizing the aqueous solution containing the second target substance, followed by a centrifugation process, followed by a washing process with pure water, and followed by a drying process to obtain the second target substance. Therefore, the method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to this embodiment can appropriately recover the second target substance.

[0066] Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment. That is, in the description of the embodiment, although a lot of specific detailed content is included for illustration purposes, those skilled in the art may implement various variations to these detailed contents as they know.

Explanation of Signs

[0067] 1... Storage processing device, 2... Pretreatment device, 3... First separation device, 4... Second separation device, 5... First target substance recovery device, 6... Second target substance recovery device, 10... Natural protein raw material purification system

Claims

1. pretreatment of pulverizing the body of the silkworm and producing a treatment liquid containing the silk gland having the first target substance and the second target substance; a first separation process of obtaining a precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland by specific gravity separation from the pretreated treatment liquid and removing each part of the body other than the silk gland; a second separation process of obtaining an aqueous solution in which the second target substance is eluted from the precipitate obtained in the first separation process, and separately obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance; a first target substance recovery process of obtaining the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained in the second separation process; a second target substance recovery process of obtaining the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance obtained in the second separation process; having a method for purifying a natural protein raw material, characterized in that.

2. having a process of preserving the silkworm before the pretreatment The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The first separation process is a process of subjecting the treatment liquid containing each part of the body of the silkworm pulverized in the pretreatment to specific gravity separation; a process of recovering the precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland precipitated in the specific gravity separation process and washing it with water flow; having The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 1, characterized in that.

4. The second separation process is a process of putting the precipitate mainly composed of the silk gland recovered in the first separation process into water or an aqueous solution of a drug and stirring it; a process of subjecting the liquid stirred in the stirring process to specific gravity separation or sieving; a process of obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance remaining on the sieve by sieving or the precipitate precipitated by the specific gravity separation; having The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 1, characterized in that.

5. The second separation process is a process of filtering substances other than the precipitate precipitated by the specific gravity separation or substances remaining on the sieve by sieving; a process of obtaining an aqueous solution containing the second target substance from the filtered filtrate; having The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 4, characterized in that.

6. The first target substance recovery process is a process of washing and dehydrating the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance with pure water; Putting the content of the silk gland mainly containing the dehydrated first target substance into a solvent, adjusting the fluidity, and obtaining the first target substance; having The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 1, characterized in that.

7. The second target substance recovery process is a process of stirring and crystallizing an aqueous solution containing the second target substance, subsequently a centrifugation process, subsequently a washing process with pure water, subsequently drying and obtaining the second target substance; having The method for purifying a natural protein raw material according to claim 1, characterized in that.

8. A pretreatment apparatus having a pure water mixing section for mixing the body of the silk worm with pure water, and a water pulverization section for pulverizing the silk worm mixed in the pure water mixing section to produce a treatment liquid containing the silk gland having the first target substance and the second target substance; A first separation apparatus having a specific gravity separation section for separating by specific gravity from the treatment liquid, and a sediment recovery section for obtaining a sediment mainly containing the silk gland containing the first target substance and the second target substance obtained in the specific gravity separation section, and removing each part of the body other than the silk gland; A second separation apparatus having a stirring section for obtaining and stirring an aqueous solution in which the second target substance is eluted from the sediment obtained in the sediment recovery section, and a filtration section for separately obtaining the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance and the aqueous solution containing the second target substance; A first target substance recovery apparatus for obtaining the first target substance from the silk gland content mainly containing the first target substance obtained by the second separation apparatus; A second target substance recovery apparatus for obtaining the second target substance from the aqueous solution containing the second target substance obtained by the second separation apparatus; comprising A natural protein raw material purification system, characterized in that.

9. Before the pretreatment apparatus performs pretreatment, it further comprises a storage treatment apparatus for storing the silk worm The natural protein raw material purification system according to claim 8, characterized in that.

Images