Manufacturing process for sunflower protein concentrate and sunflower protein flour

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to improved processes for the production of sunflower protein concentrates and sunflower protein flours. In some embodiments, the sunflower protein concentrates and sunflower protein flours are characterized by one or more of improved protein dispersibility, high protein content, neutral taste, substantial absence of allergens, high water holding capacity, good gelling properties, and improved color.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 305,043, filed January 31, 2022, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] The field of the invention relates generally to processes for producing sunflower protein concentrates and processes for producing sunflower protein flour.

[0003] Sunflower seeds are an attractive source of raw materials for food applications due to their high protein content and high protein availability. In prior art processes, value-added vegetable proteins, commonly referred to as concentrates (having about 70% protein content) and isolates (having about 90% protein content and relatively low denatured protein content), are obtained from an initial defatted or reduced fat flour and further processed to remove soluble and insoluble carbohydrates.

[0004] In conventional commercial-scale sunflower milling facilities, sunflower meal is obtained as a by-product of the oil extraction process and has a high protein content of about 32% to 38% by weight. Sunflower meal is typically used as an animal feed ingredient, where the proteins are significantly denatured, resulting in sunflower meal with a high content of insoluble proteins. Substantial sunflower protein denaturation can occur during seed conditioning, draining (temperatures up to 140° C.), and desolvation / roasting steps. The purpose of such steps is to combine process demands (e.g., oil removal and / or solvent recovery) with product demands (e.g., microbial control and reduction of antinutritional factors).

[0005] Prior art processes generally include dehulling, peeling, conditioning and oil removal by using mechanical means (e.g., squeezing) and / or solvent extraction. In sunflower crushing facilities known in the art, pre-pressing is performed at high temperatures, such as about 100-105°C, to obtain pressed oil and have a low press cake oil content of 17%-22% by weight, as well as to create a suitable sponge-like structure of the press cake to ensure efficient hexane penetration in solvent extraction. An example of conventional commercial scale sunflower processing is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,728,542, where the process disclosed uses mechanical partial de-oiling (squeezing) until the fat or oil content of dehulled sunflower seeds (which typically have a hull content of about 5% by weight after dehulling) is in the range of about 10%-35% by weight. Generally, the presence of hulls and coagulated proteins promotes a spongy structure that allows for efficient oil extraction. Problematically, however, the presence of the husks requires vigorous pressing conditions to reach low residual oil contents in the press cake, such as less than about 35% by weight. Even more problematically, temperatures above about 60-65°C result in denaturation of sunflower proteins, which under prior art processing conditions can denature and combine with sugars in a Maillard reaction. As a result, the Protein Dispersibility Index value of prior art deoiled sunflower flour products is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the functionality of the protein product in food applications.

[0006] Although prior art processes are capable of achieving a hull content of less than about 2.0% by weight in dehulled sunflower seeds, such as by using optical sorters, problematically, further processing steps such as oil and sugar extraction are difficult and in some cases commercially impractical due to the low hull content, since the hulls serve as the structural material for pressing and permeation extraction. Without the hulls and coagulated proteins, the spongy presscake structure is generally not achieved and permeation extraction cannot function efficiently, thereby resulting in a high residual oil content (e.g., greater than 5%) of the deoiled protein material. Thus, it is difficult or commercially impractical to produce deoiled sunflower flour with a residual oil content of less than about 1.5% by weight, which is desirable for direct use as edible sunflower flour or as a feedstock for concentrates and isolates.

[0007] To make matters worse, sunflower seeds contain a high content of polyphenols that darken during and after oxidation, especially in the presence of water.The most common polyphenol is chlorogenic acid, which is responsible for the green color in sunflower cake and concentrated protein products produced by prior art processes.However, sunflower protein with color contaminants is generally not suitable for use in food and beverage applications.

[0008] Further problematically, prior art sunflower proteins have a relatively low water holding capacity, which can result in texture and mouthfeel that are generally considered unsuitable for use in meat substitutes.

[0009] The suitability of sunflower proteins for food applications depends on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, protein concentration, protein quality, color, taste, contaminants, antinutritional substances, and functional properties such as water holding capacity, etc. As a result, existing sunflower meal processes are unable to provide a viable feedstock for further food processing.

[0010] Thus, there is a need for improved processes for preparing sunflower protein flours and sunflower protein concentrates having improved properties such as high protein content, high protein dispersibility, high water holding capacity, and acceptable mouthfeel, color, odor, and taste. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In some aspects of the disclosure, a process for preparing a sunflower protein concentrate from sunflower seeds is provided, the process comprising: (1) dehulling sunflower seeds to form dehulled sunflower kernels; (2) cold pre-pressing the dehulled sunflower kernels to form a press cake; and (3) treating the press cake, in any order, by (a) extracting oil therefrom using an oil extraction solvent, and (b) extracting sugars and polyphenols therefrom using a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form an extracted press cake. and (4) desolvating the extracted press cake to form a sunflower protein concentrate, wherein (i) the sunflower kernels comprise oil, protein, sugars, and polyphenols, (ii) the temperature of the dehulled kernels and press cake is below 65°C, preferably between 20°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step, (iii) the oil content of the press cake is between 40% and 65% by weight on a dry basis, and (iv) the sunflower protein concentrate has a protein content of at least 55% by weight, or preferably between 55% and 95% by weight on a dry basis.

[0012] In some other aspects of the disclosure, a process for preparing sunflower protein flour from sunflower seeds is provided, the process comprising the steps of: (1) dehulling sunflower seeds to form dehulled sunflower kernels; (2) cold pre-pressing the dehulled sunflower kernels to form a press cake; (3) treating the press cake by extracting oil therefrom using an oil extraction solvent to form an extracted press cake; and (4) desolvating the extracted press cake to form a sunflower protein flour, wherein: (i) the sunflower kernels comprise oil, protein, sugars, and polyphenols; (ii) the temperature of the dehulled kernels and the press cake is below 65° C., preferably between 20° C. and 65° C., during the cold pre-pressing step; and (iii) the oil content of the press cake is between 40% and 65% by weight on a dry basis, preferably between 50% and 65% by weight on a dry basis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present disclosure provides processes for preparing sunflower protein concentrates characterized by a high protein content, for example, from 55% to about 95% by weight, among other features described in more detail herein, where weight percent is expressed on a dry matter basis.

[0014] The present disclosure further provides processes for preparing sunflower protein flours characterized by a high protein dispersibility index, for example, from about 25% to about 50%, among other characteristics described in more detail herein. In some embodiments, the protein content of the sunflower protein flour is from about 45% to about 70% by weight, the weight percentages being expressed on a dry matter basis.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it has been found that improved sunflower protein products, such as sunflower protein concentrates and sunflower protein flours, as described in more detail herein, can be prepared from sunflower seeds according to the present disclosure. The improved sunflower protein products are suitable for use in beverage and food applications. The products of the present disclosure can be prepared by a process that includes efficient dehulling of sunflower seeds, cold pressing the dehulled kernels at a temperature of 65° C. or less to form a press cake having an oil content of about 40% to about 65% by weight on a dry basis. In some embodiments, an improved sunflower protein flour is then produced from the press cake by extracting the oil from the press cake. In some embodiments, an improved sunflower protein concentrate is produced from the press cake by extracting the oil and sugars and polyphenols from the press cake, and the oil and sugar / polyphenol extraction may be performed in either order.

[0016] As used herein, "Protein Dispersibility Index" or "PDI" refers to the amount of dispersible (soluble) protein relative to the total amount of protein in a material. PDI may be measured based on AOCS standard procedure Ba 10b-09 Protein Dispersibility Index, which modifies protein determination from the Kjeldahl method to the Dumas method.

[0017] As used herein, "water holding capacity" or "WHC" refers to hydration capacity and is characterized by the amount of water retained by a protein powder or solid material in the presence of excess water. WHC is typically expressed as grams of water per gram of sample. WHC is based on the American Association of Cereal Chemists, AACC 10 thedition, method 56-20, "Hydration capacity of pregelatinized cereal products". In some such embodiments, 2 g of protein sample is suspended in 40 g of water for 10 minutes and centrifuged at 1000 g for 15 minutes at 20° C. Water holding capacity is expressed as grams of bound water (determined by subtracting the weight of the dried preparation from the weight of the water-saturated precipitate) per gram of dried protein preparation.

[0018] As used herein, dry matter % (dm%) refers to weight percent on a dry matter basis.

[0019] Molting In any of the various aspects of the present disclosure, the sunflower seeds are dehulled to produce sunflower seed kernels prior to further processing. The dehulling step may be suitably carried out by mechanical processing methods known in the art, such as, but not limited to, impact dehullers and roller mills. In some aspects, impact dehullers are used.

[0020] The sunflower seed kernels and loose hulls can be separated by classification. Classification can be done by methods known in the art, such as, but not limited to, screening, air classification, and / or electrostatic separation. Screening includes, but is not limited to, vibrating screens and rotating drums with sieve-like structures. Air classification includes, but is not limited to, air aspiration, rotary classifiers, gravity classifiers, centrifugal classifiers, and cyclone classifiers.

[0021] After classification, a certain amount of hulls may remain on the seed kernels. Most of the remaining hulls may be optionally removed in an optical sorting step. Optical sorting is known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,592, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. In some such aspects, optical sensors are used to distinguish seed kernels from hulls and other contaminants based on, for example, but not limited to, seed opacity, light reflectance, and light absorbance. In some cases, optical sorters use optical sensors including charge-coupled devices and multiple light detectors such as photodiode arrays. Such sorters may include one or more ejector mechanisms located behind the sensor. For example, the ejector mechanism may include multiple air nozzles associated with one or more valves that are triggered by an electrical signal synchronized with the sensor function. In some aspects, a jet of air removes seed kernels that do or do not meet a predetermined selection criterion from the remaining material stream. In some other aspects, the air jets remove crust debris and other contaminants that may or may not meet predetermined selection criteria from the remaining material stream.

[0022] In any of the various dehulling embodiments of the present disclosure, the dehulled sunflower kernels preferably contain a residual hull content of 5% or less, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, less than 1%, or less than 0.5% by weight, such as 0.1% to 5% by weight. The purity of the dehulled sunflower can be adjusted by operation of the optical sorting unit. Under one theory, and without being bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the protein content of the deoiled and dehulled sunflower kernels is positively correlated with the purity of the dehulled sunflower. The dehulled sunflower kernels further contain oil, proteins, sugars, and polyphenols, among other components.

[0023] Cold Pressed In any of the various aspects of the present disclosure, the dehulled sunflower kernels are cold pre-pressed to form a press cake. Cold pressing and related processing techniques are known in the art. A non-limiting example of a cold pressing method within the scope of the present disclosure is a screw expeller press. Based on experimental evidence to date, and without being bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the operation of a cold pressing unit opens up the oil-containing cells due to friction generated in the expeller, thereby preparing the sunflower kernels for efficient solvent extraction of oil, sugars, and other components.

[0024] In any of the various cold pressing embodiments of the present disclosure, the temperature of the seed kernels and press cake during the cold pressing step is 65° C. or less, 60° C. or less, or 55° C. or less. Suitable temperatures include about 25° C., about 30° C., about 35° C., about 40° C., about 45° C., about 50° C., about 55° C., about 60° C., or 65° C., and any ranges therein, such as about 20° C. to about 65° C., about 25° C. to about 65° C., about 35° C. to about 60° C., or about 40° C. to about 55° C. In some embodiments, the oil content of the press cake is about 40 dry matter percent ("dm%"), about 45 dm%, about 50 dm%, about 55 dm%, about 60 dm%, or about 65 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, e.g., from about 40 dm% to about 65 dm%, from about 40 dm% to about 60 dm%, from about 45 dm% to about 65 dm%, from about 50 dm% to about 65 dm%, or from about 45 dm% to about 60 dm%. In some embodiments, the protein content of the press cake is about 15 dm%, about 20 dm%, about 25 dm%, about 30 dm%, about 35 dm%, or about 40 dm%, and any ranges consisting thereof, e.g., about 15 dm% to about 40 dm%, about 20 dm% to about 35 dm%, or about 25 dm% to about 35 dm%. In some embodiments, the water content of the press cake is about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, or about 12%, and any ranges consisting thereof, e.g., about 2% to about 12%, or about 4% to about 10%. In some embodiments, the press cake has a protein dispersibility index ("PDI") value of about 30%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, or about 45%, and any ranges consisting thereof, such as about 30% to about 45%, about 35% to about 45%, or about 37% to about 43%. The press cake of the present disclosure may be characterized by one, two, three, or more of the oil content, protein content, water content, and PDI value. Based on experimental evidence to date, it is believed that the process of the present disclosure provides a press cake having a higher PDI compared to a press cake having an oil content of less than 40 dm%.

[0025] Those skilled in the art will be able to optimize the cold press process variables necessary to achieve the ranges of press cake temperatures and oil contents described herein. For example, as shown in the examples, the press shaft speed and cone settings of the screw expeller can be suitably modified to produce a press cake having a residual oil content having values ​​and ranges within the ranges of the present disclosure. The shaft speed controls the feed rate of the seed kernels to the expeller, such as via a screw feeder. The cone setting sets the expeller discharge area, resulting in the increase in applied pressure required to extract oil from the seed kernels. For expellers that use a die at the discharge, the feed range and the die opening size and opening configuration can be suitably selected to obtain a press cake having the required oil content. Additionally, certain press components, such as the discharge barrel and / or feed screw, can be cooled or heated to achieve cold press discharge temperatures within the ranges of the present disclosure.

[0026] Oil extraction and sugar and polyphenol extraction The oil is extracted from the press cake using an oil extraction solvent, and the sugars and polyphenols are extracted from the press cake using a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to produce an extracted press cake. The oil extraction step and the sugar / polyphenol extraction step may be performed in either order. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the oil is extracted first, thereby producing a sunflower protein flour. The sugars and polyphenols may then be extracted from the sunflower protein flour, thereby producing a sunflower protein concentrate. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the sugars and polyphenols are extracted first, and then the oil is extracted, thereby producing a sunflower protein concentrate. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the extraction process is characterized in that there is no process step between the step to form the press cake and the step to form the extracted press cake from the press cake.

[0027] oil extraction The oil extraction may be suitably carried out by any extraction method known in the art. In some embodiments, immersion extraction is used. In some such embodiments, continuous immersion extraction may be carried out. In some embodiments, countercurrent immersion extraction may be carried out. In any embodiment, multi-stage extraction may be carried out.

[0028] The oil extraction solvent can be a non-polar solvent (e.g., hexane) or a highly concentrated polar proton solvent (e.g., >95% C such as ethanol) that is deemed acceptable for processing of food grains. 1-3 In some embodiments, the oil extraction solvent is hexane or ethanol. In one embodiment, the oil extraction solvent is hexane. In one embodiment, the purity of the oil extraction solvent is at least 95% v / v. The oil extraction is suitably carried out at a temperature of 65° C. or less, e.g., 65° C., about 60° C., about 55° C., about 50° C., about 45° C., or about 40° C., or lower.

[0029] Immersion extraction is known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,495,044 and published application US2016 / 0376204, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein. Various immersion extractor designs are suitable for the practice of the present disclosure. One non-limiting example of an immersion extractor includes a vertical cylindrical vessel with a series of slowly rotating horizontal plates used for countercurrent extraction. In such extractors, press cake is continuously fed to the top of the column and allowed to fall successively through openings onto each plate below. Solvent is introduced at the bottom of the column, flows countercurrently upward, and exits the top of the column. Another non-limiting example of an immersion extractor is a belt-type design in which the press cake is continuously loaded onto the moving perforated belt of the extractor to form a bed. Adjustment of the feed rate maintains the bed height relatively consistently. In some such extractors, the countercurrent operation involves spraying fresh extraction solvent onto the press cake at the section closest to the discharge end of the extractor. The first extract is collected at the bottom of the section and pumped sequentially from the previous section to the section with the newly loaded press cake. One non-limiting example of an immersion extractor is the Model IV manufactured by Crown Iron Works (Minneapolis, Minn.). In the countercurrent oil extraction embodiment of the present disclosure, at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, or at least seven successive extractions may be performed.

[0030] The solid to oil extraction solvent ratio is preferably about 1:2, about 1:3, about 1:4, about 1:5, about 1:6, about 1:7, about 1:8, about 1:9, about 1:10, or about 1:15, and any range therein, such as about 1:2 to about 1:15, about 1:5 to about 1:15, or about 1:5 to about 1:10.

[0031] In any of the various oil extraction aspects of the present disclosure, the extracted press cake may be desolvated. The desolvation of the extracted press cake, as well as any other steps of the present disclosure, may be suitably carried out by methods known in the art, such as, but not limited to, heating under partial vacuum. Desolvation may employ two strategies: high temperature-short time and / or low temperature-long time. One desolvation objective is to minimize the drop in PDI during desolvation to about 20 points or less, about 15 points or less, about 10 points or less, or about 5 points or less. In high temperature-short time desolvation (also referred to as flash desolvation), the extracted presscake is desolvated in a first optional step at a temperature of 200° C. or less, or 190° C. or less, or 180° C. or less, or 170° C. or less, or 160° C. or less, or 150° C. or less, and the solvent-laden extracted presscake is contacted for 5 seconds or less, or 4 seconds or less, or 3 seconds or less, or 2 seconds or less, thereby evaporating at least 90%, or at least 95%, of the initial solvent content. In the second, or only, step, if the first step is applied, the extracted press cake containing residual solvent is treated under partial vacuum with the second, or only, stripper at 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less, or 75°C or less, or 70°C or less, or 65°C or less, or 60°C or less for 60 minutes or less, or 50 minutes or less, or 40 minutes or less, or 30 minutes or less, or 20 minutes or less to achieve the final specification solvent limit. In an embodiment, the partial vacuum is up to 100 mmHg, or up to 20 mmHg. The second stage can be carried out in one or two steps, including temperatures of 80°C or less, 75°C or less, 70°C or less, 65°C or less, 60°C or less, or 55°C or less, with the total time varying from 30 to 60 minutes for the total of the stages. The desolvated extracted press cake can then be dried by methods known in the art. The desolvated extracted presscake may be used directly and / or may optionally be ground and optionally graded to an average particle size, for example, less than 500 microns, less than 400 microns, less than 300 microns, or less than 200 microns.

[0032] In embodiments of the present disclosure where oil extraction, desolvation, and drying of the press cake is performed prior to sugar and polyphenol extraction, the product is referred to as sunflower protein flour. In some embodiments, the oil content of the sunflower protein flour is about 0.25 dm%, about 0.5 dm%, about 1 dm%, about 1.5 dm%, about 2 dm%, about 2.5 dm%, about 3 dm%, or about 4 dm%, and any ranges therein, such as about 0.25 dm% to about 4 dm%, about 0.5 dm% to about 2.5 dm%, or about 1 dm% to about 2 dm%. In some embodiments, the protein content of the sunflower protein flour is about 45 dm%, about 50 dm%, about 55 dm%, about 60 dm%, about 65 dm%, or about 70 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, e.g., about 45 dm% to about 70 dm%, about 50 dm% to about 65 dm%, or about 50 dm% to about 60 dm%, or about 55 dm% to about 60 dm%. In some embodiments, the sugar content of the sunflower protein flour is about 0.5 dm%, 1 dm%, 2 dm%, 3 dm%, about 4 dm%, about 5 dm%, about 6 dm%, about 7 dm%, about 8 dm%, about 9 dm%, or about 10 dm%, and any range therein, e.g., about 0.5 dm% to about 10 dm%, about 3 dm% to about 10 dm%, about 4 dm% to about 9 dm%, or about 5 dm% to about 8 dm%. In some embodiments, the water content of the sunflower protein flour is typically about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, or about 15%, and any range therein, e.g., from about 3% to about 15%, from about 6% to about 13%, or from about 8% to about 12%. In some embodiments, the sunflower protein flour has a PDI value of at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 37%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least 45%, or at least 50%, about 30%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, or about 50%, and any range therein, e.g., about 25% to about 50%, about 25% to about 45%, about 30% to about 45%, about 35% to about 45%, or about 37% to about 43%.In some embodiments, the ash content of the sunflower protein flour is typically about 3 dm%, about 4 dm%, about 5 dm%, about 6 dm%, about 7 dm%, about 8 dm%, about 9 dm%, about 10 dm%, about 11 dm%, about 12 dm%, about 13 dm%, about 14 dm%, or about 15 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, for example, about 3 dm% to about 15 dm%, about 6 dm% to about 12 dm%, or about 7 dm% to about 10 dm%. In some embodiments, the sunflower protein flour sample having an average particle size of less than 100 μm has a color value of at least 62, at least 63, at least 64, at least 65, at least 66, at least 67, at least 68, at least 69, or at least 70 in units of the L,a,b color scale measured by a Hunter LabScan colorimeter using a Hunter Color Flex EZ (or equivalent) to provide a reading under D65 light with a 10° observer response, and the sample is ground to less than 100 μm using a UDY mill (or equivalent) and using a Fisher brand petri dish (stackable lid, made of polystyrene, catalog number FB0875712) (or equivalent). The sunflower protein flour of the present disclosure may be characterized by one, two, three, or more of oil content, protein content, sugar content, water content, ash content, PDI value, and color. Based on the experimental evidence to date, it is believed that the process of the present disclosure provides a sunflower protein flour with a higher PDI compared to sunflower protein flour prepared from press cake having an oil content of less than 40 dm%.

[0033] Sugar and polyphenol extraction Sugar and polyphenol extraction may be suitably carried out by extraction methods known in the art. In some such embodiments, continuous permeation or immersion extraction may be carried out. In some embodiments, countercurrent permeation or immersion extraction may be carried out. In some embodiments, polyphenol and water extraction may be carried out by immersion extraction. In any embodiment, multi-stage extraction may be carried out in up to 10 stages. The immersion extraction methods described elsewhere herein for oil extraction are equally applicable to sugar and polyphenol extraction.

[0034] The sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent is preferably 1-3 The sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent is an aqueous alcohol solution (e.g., ethanol). In one embodiment, the sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent is ethanol. The sugar and polyphenol aqueous extraction solvent is about 50 v / v% alcohol, about 55 v / v% alcohol, about 60 v / v% alcohol, about 65 v / v% alcohol, about 70 v / v% alcohol, about 75 v / v% alcohol, about 80 v / v% alcohol, about 85 v / v% alcohol, or about 90 v / v% alcohol, and any range thereof, for example, about 50 v / v% to about 90 v%, about 60 v / v% to about 80 v / v%, or about 65 v / v% to about 75 v%. The sugar and polyphenol extraction is preferably carried out at a temperature below 65°C, for example, about 60°C, about 55°C, about 50°C, about 45°C, or about 40°C, or lower. The solid to solvent ratio is preferably about 1:2, about 1:3, about 1:4, about 1:5, or about 1:6, or higher, and any range therein, such as from about 1:2 to about 1:6, or from about 1:3 to about 1:5.

[0035] Essentially pure C 1-3 Optional Polyphenol Extraction with Alcohol In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the extracted press cake is optionally solubilized in essentially pure C 2 O 4 to extract water and additional polyphenols (e.g., chlorogenic acid) prior to desolvation and drying. 1-3As used herein, "essentially pure" refers to a purity C of at least 95% v / v. 1-3 In some embodiments, C 1-3 The alcohol is ethanol.

[0036] The optional polyphenol and water extraction may be performed by conventional extraction methods known in the art, such as permeation extraction or immersion extraction. In some such embodiments, continuous permeation extraction or immersion extraction may be performed. In some embodiments, countercurrent permeation extraction or immersion extraction may be performed. In any embodiment, multi-stage extraction may be performed in up to about 10 stages. In some embodiments, polyphenol and water extraction may be performed by immersion extraction. The immersion extraction methods described elsewhere herein for oil extraction are equally applicable to sugar and polyphenol extraction.

[0037] In some embodiments, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, or at least 80% of the chlorogenic acid contained in the extracted presscake may be removed by extraction.

[0038] Sunflower Protein Concentrate The press cake extracted with the oil extraction solvent and the sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent is referred to as extracted press cake, regardless of the order of extraction. In some aspects of the disclosure described in more detail herein, the press cake is subjected to a process comprising the steps of (i) extracting oil therefrom with an oil extraction solvent to form an extracted press cake, (ii) desolvating the press cake, (iii) extracting sugars and polyphenols from the desolvated press cake with a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form a wet sunflower protein concentrate, (iv) optionally extracting at least 95% v / v pure C 2 O 3 from the desolvated press cake with a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form a wet sunflower protein concentrate, and (v) optionally extracting at least 95% v / v pure C 2 O 3 from the desolvated press cake with a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form a wet sunflower protein concentrate. 1-3In some other aspects of the disclosure described in more detail herein, the press cake is prepared by steps including (i) extracting sugars and polyphenols therefrom using a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form an extracted press cake, a wet sunflower protein concentrate; (ii) optionally extracting at least 95% v / v pure C 2 O 3 from the wet sunflower protein concentrate using a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form a wet sunflower protein concentrate; and (iii) optionally extracting at least 95% v / v pure C 2 O 3 from the wet sunflower protein concentrate using a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form a wet sunflower protein concentrate. 1-3 The sunflower protein concentrate is processed by steps including extracting water and polyphenols from the extracted press cake with an alcohol (e.g., ethanol) to extract water and chlorogenic acid therefrom, (iii) desolvating the extracted press cake, (iv) extracting oil therefrom with an oil extraction solvent to form a moist sunflower protein concentrate, and (v) desolvating the moist sunflower protein concentrate to form a sunflower protein concentrate. In any such aspect, each of the desolvated extracted press cake and the sunflower protein concentrate may be independently ground and optionally graded.

[0039] In some embodiments, the oil content of the sunflower protein concentrate is less than 2 dm%, less than 1.5 dm%, less than 1 dm%, about 0.25 dm%, about 0.5 dm%, about 1 dm%, about 1.5 dm%, about 2 dm%, about 2.5 dm%, about 3 dm%, or about 4 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, such as from about 0.25 dm% to about 4 dm%, from about 0.5 dm% to about 2.5 dm%, or from about 0.5 dm% to about 1.5 dm%. In some embodiments, the protein content of the sunflower protein concentrate is at least 50 dm%, at least 55 dm%, at least 60 dm%, at least 65 dm%, at least 70 dm%, at least 80 dm%, or at least 90 dm%, about 50 dm%, about 55 dm%, about 60 dm%, about 65 dm%, about 70 dm%, about 75 dm%, about 80 dm%, about 85 dm%, about 90 dm%, or about 95 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, e.g., about 50 dm% to about 75 dm%, about 55 dm% to about 95 dm%, about 60 dm% to about 75 dm%, about 65 dm% to about 75 dm%, or about 70 dm% to about 75 dm%. In some embodiments, the sugar content of the sunflower protein concentrate is less than about 2 dm%, less than about 1.5 dm%, less than about 1 dm%, or less than about 0.5 dm%. In some embodiments, the PDI value of the sunflower protein concentrate is less than 3%, less than 4%, less than 5%, less than 6%, less than 7%, less than 8%, up to 20%, up to 15%, up to 12%, up to 10%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 6.5%, about 7%, about 7.5%, or about 8%, and any ranges therein, such as about 1% to about 15%, about 2% to about 10%, about 3% to about 8%, about 4% to about 8%, or about 5% to about 7%. In some embodiments, the ash content of the sunflower protein concentrate is typically about 5 dm%, about 6 dm%, about 7 dm%, about 8 dm%, about 9 dm%, about 10 dm%, about 11 dm%, about 12 dm%, about 13 dm%, about 14 dm%, or about 15 dm%, and any range consisting thereof, for example, from 5 dm% to about 15 dm%, from about 8 dm% to about 12 dm%, or from about 9 dm% to about 12 dm%.In some embodiments, the water holding capacity ("WHC") of the sunflower protein concentrate is about 3 g / g, about 3.5 g / g, about 4 g / g, about 4.5 g / g, about 5 g / g, about 5.5 g / g, about 6 g / g, about 6.5 g / g, or about 7 g / g, and any range consisting thereof, e.g., from about 3 g / g to about 7 g / g, from about 4 g / g to about 6 g / g, from about 5 g / g to about 7 g / g, or from about 5 g / g to about 6 g / g. In some embodiments, a sunflower protein concentrate sample having an average particle size of less than 100 μm has a color value of at least 62, at least 63, at least 64, at least 65, at least 66, at least 67, at least 68, at least 69, or at least 70 in units of the L,a,b color scale as measured by a Hunter LabScan colorimeter using a Hunter Color Flex EZ (or equivalent) to provide a reading under D65 light with a 10° observer response, and the sample is ground to less than 100 μm using a UDY mill (or equivalent) and using a Fisher brand petri dish (stackable lid, polystyrene, catalog number FB0875712) (or equivalent).

[0040] As known in the art, the Hunterlab colorimeter is an instrument that measures tristimulus values ​​that measure color in L, A, and B values ​​by using filters that spectrally approximate the CIE standard observer function of the eye. The L, A, and B scales give color measurements in visual units of color perception related to perceived color and color difference. The color "L" scale measures lightness and varies from 100 for perfect white to zero for black. The color "A" scale measures redness in the positive and greenness in the negative. The color "B" scale measures yellowness in the positive and blueness in the negative. The sunflower protein concentrate of the present disclosure may be characterized by one, two, three, or more of the following: oil content, protein content, sugar content, water content, ash content, PDI value, WHC value, and color. Based on experimental evidence to date, it is believed that the process of the present disclosure provides a sunflower protein concentrate with a higher PDI compared to a sunflower protein flour prepared from a press cake having an oil content of less than 40 dm%. Based further on experimental evidence to date, it is believed that the process of the present disclosure provides a sunflower protein concentrate with a higher WHC compared to sunflower protein flour prepared from press cake with an oil content of less than 40 dm%. The improved WHC advantageously provides better functionality in meat applications, including improved meat-like texture and mouthfeel.

[0041] Optional Process for Preparing Sunflower Protein Products The present disclosure includes the following optional embodiments 1-18 directed to processes for preparing sunflower protein products.

[0042] In embodiment 1, a process for preparing a sunflower protein product from sunflower seeds is provided. In some such embodiments, the process includes (1) dehulling sunflower seeds to form dehulled sunflower kernels, (2) cold pre-pressing the dehulled sunflower kernels to form a press cake, (3) treating the press cake by extracting oil therefrom with an oil extraction solvent to form an extracted press cake, (4) desolvating the extracted press cake to form a sunflower protein product, and (5) optionally drying after desolvation. In some such embodiments, (i) the sunflower kernels comprise oil, protein, sugars, and polyphenols, (ii) the temperature of the dehulled kernels and press cake is below 65°C, preferably between 20°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step, and (iii) the oil content of the press cake is between 40% and 65% by weight on a dry basis.

[0043] In embodiment 2, the dehulled sunflower kernel of embodiment 1 comprises a residual hull content of less than 5% by weight, alternatively less than 4% by weight, alternatively less than 3% by weight, alternatively less than 2% by weight, alternatively less than 1% by weight, or preferably between 0.1% and 5% by weight.

[0044] In embodiment 3, the temperature of the dehulled grain and presscake of embodiment 1 or embodiment 2 is below 65°C, or below 60°C, or below 55°C, or preferably between 25°C and 65°C during the cold pre-pressing step.

[0045] In embodiment 4, the extracted presscake of any one of embodiments 1-3 is desolvated at a temperature up to 100° C. to form a sunflower protein product, preferably the desolvation is carried out under a partial vacuum of up to 100 mmHg, preferably up to 20 mmHg.

[0046] In embodiment 5, the oil extraction solvent of any one of embodiments 1-4 is hexane, ethanol, or a combination thereof, preferably the oil extraction solvent has a purity of at least 95%.

[0047] In embodiment 6, the oil extraction step of any one of embodiments 1-5 is a maceration extraction, and preferably the oil extraction step comprises at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 successive extractions.

[0048] In embodiment 7, there is no intermediate step between step (2) and step (3) of any one of embodiments 1-6.

[0049] In embodiment 8, the process of any one of embodiments 1-7 further comprises, prior to step (3), or between steps (3) and (4), or after step (5), treating the presscake by extracting sugars and polyphenols therefrom with a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form an extracted presscake.

[0050] In embodiment 9, the sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent in embodiment 8 is aqueous ethanol having an ethanol content of 50 v / v% to 90 v / v%, 60 v / v% to 80 v / v%, or 65 v / v% to 75 v / v%.

[0051] In embodiment 10, the sugar and polyphenol extraction step of embodiment 8 or embodiment 9 is a maceration extraction, preferably the sugar and polyphenol extraction step comprises at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 successive extractions.

[0052] In embodiment 11, the sunflower protein product of any one of embodiments 8-10 is further treated with ethanol having a purity of at least 95% to extract at least 80% of the chlorogenic acids contained therein.

[0053] In embodiment 12, the sunflower protein product obtained by the process of any one of embodiments 1-7 is a sunflower protein flour.

[0054] In embodiment 13, the sunflower protein flour of embodiment 12 is characterized by a Protein Dispersibility Index (PDI) of at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 37%, or at least 39%, preferably from 25% to 50%, and / or a protein content of from 45% by weight on a dry basis to 70% by weight on a dry basis, preferably from 50% by weight on a dry basis to 65% by weight on a dry basis, or preferably from 55% by weight on a dry basis to 60% by weight on a dry basis.

[0055] In embodiment 14, the sunflower protein product obtained by the process of any one of embodiments 8 to 11 is a sunflower protein concentrate.

[0056] In embodiment 15, the sunflower protein concentrate of embodiment 14 is characterized by a Protein Dispersibility Index (PDI) of at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, or at least 8%, preferably between 5% and 20%, and / or a protein content of at least 55% by weight on a dry basis, or at least 65% by weight on a dry basis, or at least 70% by weight on a dry basis, or preferably between 55% and 95% by weight on a dry basis, and / or an oil content of less than 2% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1.5% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 2% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1.5% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1% by weight on a dry basis, and / or a sugars content of less than 2% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1.5% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 0.5 on a dry basis, and / or a water holding capacity of between 3 g / g and 7 g / g, and / or a chlorogenic acid content of at most 5 mg / g, or preferably at most 2 mg / g.

[0057] In embodiment 16, the sunflower protein product of any one of embodiments 12-15 has a color value of at least 62, or at least 63, or at least 64, or at least 65, or at least 66, or at least 67, or at least 68, or at least 69, or at least 70, measured by L,a,b color measurement with a Hunter colorimeter at a particle size of less than 100 μm.

[0058] In embodiment 17, the sunflower protein product of any one of embodiments 12 to 16 is used in a food product.

[0059] In embodiment 18, a food product comprises the sunflower protein product of any one of embodiments 12-16. EXAMPLES

[0060] Example 1 In Example 1, the production of functional sunflower protein flours and concentrates by gentle cold pressing, followed by hexane and ethanol extraction, was evaluated.

[0061] Fully dehulled sunflower kernels having a hull content of about 0.1% were pressed in a Farmet cold prepress at a maximum temperature of 60°C with the gap set at the minimum size to form a press cake having a fat content of about 60.2 dm% and a protein content of about 22.7 dm%.

[0062] Extraction of oil from the press cake to form deoiled sunflower flour was carried out using hexane as follows: 1 kg sample was combined with 3 L of hexane in a glass reactor. Seven extraction stages were carried out using 3 L of fresh hexane in each stage. Each stage was mixed for 20 minutes at a temperature of 55° C. As shown in Table 1 below, after the seven stages the deoiled sunflower flour had a residual oil content of 1.19%, a protein content of 58.6% on a dry matter basis and a PDI of 42.5.

[0063] Hexane extraction was followed by extraction by mixing with 70 v / v% aqueous ethanol at 55°C in a solid to solvent ratio of 1:8 to form an ethanol extracted sunflower protein concentrate. Six extraction steps were performed, each with a holding time of 20 minutes. As further shown in Table 1, the ethanol extracted sunflower protein concentrate had a protein content of 71.6 dm%, an oil content of 0.96%, and the PDI value was reduced to 6.1%. The water holding capacity was high at 4.46. [Table 1]

[0064] This result indicates that with proper preparation steps prior to solvent extraction, sugars and polyphenols were efficiently washed away during extraction. The samples had no characteristic taste and were close to neutral with a slight bitter aftertaste.

[0065] Example 2 Example 2 was a comparative study of sunflower flour and sunflower concentrate samples.

[0066] Presscake samples were produced at different settings of presscake speed and cone settings under the gentle pressing conditions of Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2A below. "Moist." refers to moisture, "Ext. Oil" refers to extractable oil, and "Res. Oil" refers to residual oil. [Table 2]

[0067] The press cake was observed to have the appearance, feel and texture of an oily and sandy paste, which contrasts with the cake-like structure and appearance of conventional press cakes having an oil content of less than 40% by weight.

[0068] The total fatty matter content of the press cake under mild conditions was 57.7% on a dry matter basis.

[0069] The results show that more intensive compression conditions (higher screw speed and lower cone setting) resulted in lower residual fat content and lower PDI values. Visually, more intensive compression conditions resulted in a press cake with a darker color compared to the press cake prepared under milder conditions.

[0070] The press cake sample produced above was hexane extracted in a laboratory scale glass reactor at a solid to solvent ratio of 1:2 to form sunflower flour. Four such stages of hexane extraction were applied at 20 min / each stage and at 55°C. The hexane extract was desolvated, milled and granulated to an average particle size of less than 200 microns. The desolvated milled sample was analyzed and the results are reported below in Table 2B. "Moist." refers to moisture, "Res." refers to residue and "Prot." refers to protein. [Table 3]

[0071] The results show that the PDI values ​​of the sunflower flour products prepared for solvent extraction under mild cold pressing conditions are significantly higher compared to other sunflower flour products prepared under stronger pressing conditions.

[0072] Example 3 The desolvated unmilled flour sample of Example 2 was extracted with 70% aqueous EtOH at a solid to solvent ratio of 1:8 in a laboratory scale glass reactor to form a protein concentrate. Four such extraction steps were applied, 20 minutes per step, and at 55° C. The ethanol extract was desolvated and then milled and granulated to an average particle size of less than 200 microns. A sample of the milled protein concentrate material was analyzed and the results are reported in Table 3. [Table 4]

[0073] The results show that the PDI values ​​of sunflower protein concentrate products prepared for solvent extraction under mild cold pressing conditions (having a residual oil content of about 58 dm%) are significantly higher compared to sunflower protein concentrates prepared under stronger pressing conditions (having a residual oil content ranging from about 23 dm% to about 33 dm%).

[0074] The results further show that the protein concentrate sample prepared for solvent extraction by mild pressing conditions had the highest water-holding capacity of 5.1 g water / g protein, which has advantages in alternative meat applications.

[0075] Example 4 Sunflower protein concentrate prepared according to Example 3 was extracted with 95% v / v ethanol.

[0076] The results of Example 4 are reported in the following table, where "SPC" refers to sunflower protein concentrate, "Part. Size" refers to particle size Dv(50) and "Emul. Strength" refers to emulsion strength. [Table 5]

[0077] Example 5 Approximately 9,000 kg of fully dehulled sunflower kernels were processed as follows.

[0078] In step A, dehulled sunflower kernels were pressed in a mechanical press to produce oil and press cake at a drive speed of 40 Hz and a feed rate of 3.8 kg / min with the shaft cooler set at 19° C. The press cake was submitted for oil extraction.

[0079] In step B, oil extraction of the press cake was carried out using a seven-stage immersion extractor with hexane as the solvent. In this step, the feed rate was 0.9 kg / min, the solid to solvent ratio was 1:3, the residence time was 2.5 hours, and the solvent temperature was set at 60°C. The recovered miscella (containing solvent, lipids and trace non-polar compounds) was distilled to recover the solvent and discard the lipids and trace compounds. The defatted sunflower kernels were desolvated at a temperature of 71°C, a partial vacuum of 10 mmHg, and a holding time of 15 minutes. The defatted and desolvated sunflower kernels were submitted for ethanol extraction for removal of sugars therefrom and further protein concentration.

[0080] In step C, ethanol extraction was performed using a seven-stage immersion extractor with 67% v / v ethanol in water as the solvent. The feed rate was 0.55 kg / min, solid to solvent ratio was 1:5, residence time was 2.5 h, and solvent temperature was 74°C. The miscella (containing solvent, sugars, and trace polar compounds) was distilled to recover the solvent, and the sugars and trace polar compounds were discarded. The sunflower kernel concentrate was submitted for a second ethanol extraction for drying and removal of phenolic compounds (e.g., chlorogenic acid).

[0081] In step D, a second ethanol extraction was performed in a five-stage immersion extractor with an ethanol concentration of >95% v / v. The extraction conditions were 2.5 hours, 71°C, and a solvent ratio of 5:1 (solvent / mass). The sunflower kernel protein concentrate was desolvated at a temperature of 82°C, a partial vacuum of 10 mmHg, and a hold time of 15 minutes.

[0082] The results are reported in the table below for the product of step C (after extraction with 67% EtOH) and for the product of step D (after extraction with 95% EtOH). [Table 6]

[0083] This specification uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system, and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that differ insubstantially from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. A process for preparing a sunflower protein concentrate from sunflower seeds, said process comprising: (1) dehulling the sunflower seeds to form dehulled sunflower kernels; (2) cold pre-pressing the dehulled sunflower kernels to form a press cake; (3) treating the presscake by, in any order, (a) extracting oil therefrom with an oil extraction solvent, and (b) extracting sugars and polyphenols therefrom with a sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent to form an extracted presscake; (4) desolvating the extracted presscake to form the sunflower protein concentrate, (i) the sunflower kernel comprises oil, protein, sugars, and polyphenols; (ii) the temperature of the dehulled kernels and the presscake is below 65°C, preferably between 20°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step; (iii) the oil content of the presscake is from 40% to 65% by weight on a dry basis; (iv) The process characterised in that the sunflower protein concentrate has a protein content of at least 55% by weight, or preferably from 55% to 95% by weight, on a dry matter basis.

2. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the dehulled sunflower kernels comprise a residual hull content of less than 5% by weight, or less than 4% by weight, or less than 3% by weight, or less than 2% by weight, or less than 1% by weight, or preferably between 0.1% and 5% by weight.

3. 3. The process according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the temperature of the dehulled kernels and the presscake is below 65°C, or below 60°C, or below 55°C, or preferably between 25°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step.

4. (i) the sunflower protein concentrate has an oil content of less than 2% by weight on a dry basis, less than 1.5% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1% by weight on a dry basis; and / or (ii) the protein content of the sunflower protein concentrate is at least 65% by weight on a dry matter, or at least 70% by weight on a dry matter, and / or (iii) the sugar content of the sunflower protein concentrate is less than 2% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1.5% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 1% by weight on a dry basis, or less than 0.5% by weight on a dry basis; and / or (iv) The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sunflower protein concentrate is characterized by a water holding capacity of from 3 g / g to 7 g / g, preferably from 4 g / g to 6 g / g.

5. 5. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sunflower protein concentrate has a Protein Dispersibility Index (PDI) of up to 20%, or up to 15%, or up to 12%, or up to 10%, preferably from 1% to 15%, more preferably from 2% to 10%.

6. 6. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said extracted presscake is desolvated at a temperature below 100°C to form a sunflower protein concentrate, preferably said desolvation step is carried out under a partial vacuum of up to 100mmHg, preferably up to 20mmHg.

7. The process of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a drying step after the desolvation step.

8. 8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the sunflower protein concentrate has a colour value of at least 62, or at least 63, or at least 64, or at least 65, or at least 66, or at least 67, or at least 68, or at least 69, or at least 70 as measured by L,a,b colour measurement with a Hunter colourimeter at a particle size of less than 100 μm.

9. 9. The process of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processing step comprises extracting oil from the press cake and then extracting sugars and polyphenols therefrom to form the extracted press cake, preferably the processing step comprises extracting the oil from the press cake, desolvating the extracted press cake, drying the desolvated press cake and extracting the sugars and the polyphenols from the dried press cake.

10. 9. The process of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processing step comprises extracting sugars and polyphenols from the press cake and then extracting oil therefrom to form the extracted press cake, preferably the processing step comprises extracting the sugars and polyphenols from the press cake, desolvating the extracted press cake, drying the desolvated press cake and extracting the oil from the dried press cake.

11. 11. The process of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein (a) the oil extraction solvent is hexane, ethanol, or a combination thereof; and (b) the oil extraction solvent has a purity of at least 95% or a combination thereof.

12. 12. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the oil extraction step is an immersion extraction, preferably wherein the oil extraction step comprises at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 successive extractions.

13. 13. The process of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the sugar and polyphenol extraction solvent is aqueous ethanol having an ethanol content of 50% to 90% v / v, 60% to 80% v / v, or 65% to 75% v / v.

14. 14. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the sugar and polyphenol extraction step is a maceration extraction, preferably comprising at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 successive extractions.

15. 15. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the sunflower kernels further comprise chlorogenic acid and the process further comprises the steps of, in the order of: (a) desolvating and drying the extracted presscake; and (b) extracting the desolvated and dried extracted presscake with ethanol having a purity of at least 95% to extract at least 80% of the chlorogenic acid contained therein.

16. The process of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein there is no intermediate step between step (2) and step (3).

17. A sunflower protein concentrate obtainable by the process according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. 1. A process for preparing sunflower protein flour from sunflower seeds, said process comprising: (1) dehulling the sunflower seeds to form dehulled sunflower kernels; (2) cold pre-pressing the dehulled sunflower kernels to form a press cake; (3) treating the presscake by extracting oil therefrom with an oil extraction solvent to form an extracted presscake; (4) desolvating the extracted presscake to form the sunflower protein flour, (i) the sunflower kernel comprises oil, protein, sugars, and polyphenols; (ii) the temperature of the dehulled kernels and the presscake is below 65°C, preferably between 20°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step; (iii) The above process wherein the oil content of the presscake is from 40% to 65% by weight on a dry basis, preferably from 50% to 65% by weight on a dry basis.

19. 19. The process of claim 18, wherein the dehulled sunflower kernels comprise a residual hull content of less than 5% by weight, or less than 4% by weight, or less than 3% by weight, or less than 2% by weight, or less than 1% by weight, or preferably between 0.1% and 5% by weight.

20. 20. A process according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the temperature of the dehulled kernels and the presscake is below 65°C, or below 60°C, or below 55°C, or preferably between 25°C and 65°C, during the cold pre-pressing step.

21. 21. The process according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the sunflower protein flour has a Protein Dispersibility Index of at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 37%, or at least 39%, preferably between 25% and 50%.

22. 22. The process according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the protein content of the sunflower protein flour is from 45% by weight on a dry basis to 70% by weight on a dry basis, preferably from 50% by weight on a dry basis to 65% by weight on a dry basis, or preferably from 55% by weight on a dry basis to 60% by weight on a dry basis.

23. 23. The process according to any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein the extracted presscake is desolvated at a temperature below 100°C to form sunflower protein flour, preferably the desolvation is carried out under partial vacuum.

24. The process of any one of claims 18 to 23, further comprising a drying step after the desolvation step.

25. 25. The process of claim 24, wherein the sunflower protein flour has a colour value of at least 62, or at least 63, or at least 64, or at least 65, or at least 66, or at least 67, or at least 68, or at least 69, or at least 70 as measured by L,a,b colour measurement with a Hunter colourimeter at a particle size of less than 100 μm.

26. 26. The process of any one of claims 18 to 25, wherein (a) the oil extraction solvent is hexane, ethanol, or a combination thereof; and (b) the oil extraction solvent has a purity of at least 95% or a combination thereof.

27. 27. The process according to any one of claims 18 to 26, wherein the oil extraction step is an immersion extraction, preferably wherein the oil extraction step comprises at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, or at least 7 successive extractions.

28. The process of any one of claims 18 to 27, wherein there is no intermediate step between step (2) and step (3).

29. Sunflower protein flour obtainable by the process according to any one of claims 18 to 28.

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