Non-Soy Oilseed Protein Extraction via Acidic pH Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing oilseed protein products often result in beany, green, or vegetable off-flavor notes, and involve the direct use of calcium salts or other salts in the extraction process, which can be undesirable in food applications.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing non-soy oilseed protein products with minimal or no beany flavor notes, involving the extraction of oilseed proteins using water, pH adjustment to below the isoelectric precipitation pH, and subsequent processing steps like concentration, diafiltration, and drying, without the direct use of calcium salts or other salts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If calcium salts or other salts are used in the extraction process, then protein extraction efficiency is improved, but off-flavor notes (beany, green, vegetable) are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter of the extraction solution to be below the isoelectric point of the protein (pH < 4.6 for soy protein). This parameter change allows efficient protein extraction without using calcium salts, thereby avoiding the generation of off-flavor notes while maintaining high protein recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an acidified extraction solution (with pH adjusted using food-grade acids like phosphoric acid or lactic acid) as an intermediary medium to extract proteins. This acidic medium serves as a substitute for calcium salts, achieving extraction without the harmful byproducts
2Object-generated harmful factors
If pH is adjusted below isoelectric precipitation pH, then off-flavor notes are reduced, but protein solubility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary acidification of the extraction solution before protein extraction. By pre-adjusting the pH to below the isoelectric point, the extraction occurs under conditions that prevent off-flavor formation. Subsequently, the pH is raised to restore protein solubility and enable effective separation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic pH adjustment: first lowering pH for extraction to avoid off-flavors, then raising pH to restore solubility for separation. This cyclic pH manipulation achieves both goals sequentially without compromise
3Manufacturing precision
If protein concentration is increased to at least 60 wt% or 90 wt%, then product purity is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs continuous processing steps including extraction, filtration, concentration, and drying in a integrated flow. This continuous operation achieves high protein concentration (60-90 wt%) without requiring complex batch-wise interventions, maintaining process efficiency while ensuring product purity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves oilseed protein products with high protein content and improved flavor profiles, suitable for various food applications, including those with low or neutral pH, while avoiding the use of salts in the extraction process.
Implementation Method 1
extracting a non-soy oilseed protein source with water to cause solubilization of oilseed protein from the protein source and to form an aqueous non-soy oilseed protein solution
Implementation Method 2
adjusting the pH of the aqueous non-soy oilseed protein solution to between about 1.5 and a value about 1 pH unit below the typical pH of isoelectric precipitation to produce an acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution
Implementation Method 3
separating the acid insoluble solid material from the acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution
Implementation Method 4
concentrating the acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution by a selective membrane technique
Implementation Method 5
diafiltering the optionally concentrated acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution
Implementation Method 6
drying the optionally concentrated and optionally diafiltered acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to non-soy oilseed protein products, very low in, or free of, beany, green, vegetable or similar flavour notes and useful for the fortification of food and beverage products and prepared without the use of salt in the process. The non-soy oilseed protein products of the present invention are obtained by extracting non-soy oilseed protein source with water to form an aqueous non-soy oilseed protein solution, at least partially separating the aqueous non-soy oilseed protein solution from residual non-soy oilseed protein source, adjusting the pH of the aqueous non-soy oilseed protein solution to a pH between about 1.5 and a value about 1 pH unit lower than the typical pH of isoelectric precipitation to solubilize the bulk of the protein and form an acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution then separating the acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution from the acid insoluble solid material. The acidified non-soy oilseed protein solution may be dried following optional concentration and diafiltration to form a non-soy oilseed protein product, which may be an isolate. The acid insoluble solid material may be washed with acidified water and then dried to form another non-soy oilseed protein product. These products may be dried at the acidic pH at which they were prepared or may be adjusted in pH before drying.