Keratin Protein Ingredient Production via Reducing Agent and Enzymatic Hydrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for converting keratin-containing materials into food-grade proteins are costly, result in unpalatable products with low digestibility, and often produce undesirable sulfur-containing amino acids and residual salts, making them unsuitable for use as food ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A process involving pretreatment of keratin-containing materials with a reducing agent and heating, followed by enzyme hydrolysis using proteolytic enzymes like keratinase and papain, and subsequent size reduction and incubation to produce a highly digestible protein ingredient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If harsh physical conditions (high heat and pressure) are used to denature keratin, then disulfide bonds are broken, but hydrolysis is incomplete and certain amino acids are destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mild alkaline conditions (pH 9-11) and controlled temperature (50-80°C) to denature keratin, replacing harsh physical conditions. This parameter change allows disulfide bond breakdown while preserving amino acid integrity and achieving complete hydrolysis through extended enzymatic treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical denaturation methods (high heat and pressure) with chemical denaturation using mild alkaline conditions followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. This substitution achieves the same structural breakdown while avoiding destruction of amino acids
2Manufacturing precision
If chemical treatment is used to break disulfide bonds, then shorter peptides are generated, but certain amino acids are destroyed and residual salts remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces proteolytic enzymes as intermediaries to break down keratin peptides. These enzymes selectively cleave peptide bonds under mild alkaline conditions, generating controlled peptide lengths without destroying amino acids or requiring acid/base neutralization that would create residual salts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces harsh chemical treatment (strong acids or bases) with enzymatic hydrolysis using proteolytic enzymes. This substitution achieves peptide bond cleavage and disulfide bond breakdown while avoiding destruction of amino acids and elimination of residual salt formation
3Strength
If traditional keratin hydrolysis methods are used, then disulfide bonds are broken, but protein digestibility remains low (less than 80%)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs extended enzymatic hydrolysis treatment (1-24 hours) under continuous mild alkaline conditions, allowing complete breakdown of keratin structure. This continuous action ensures both disulfide bond disruption and complete peptide bond hydrolysis, achieving protein digestibility greater than 80%
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains pH 9-11 and temperature 50-80°C throughout the hydrolysis process, creating optimal conditions for proteolytic enzyme activity. These parameter changes enable complete hydrolysis while preserving amino acid integrity, resulting in high protein digestibility
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 process yields a food protein ingredient with at least 85% protein digestibility, minimizing undesirable amino acids and residual salts, making it suitable for use in animal feed and human food products.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the protein-containing material with a reducing agent
Implementation Method 2
heating the contacted protein-containing material to create a proteinaceous mixture
Implementation Method 3
enzyme hydrolysis by mixing a quantity of at least one proteolytic enzyme in an aqueous solution to react with the pretreated proteinaceous mixture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates generally to a method for enzymatic production of food protein ingredients from keratin-containing proteinaceous materials and the resulting compositions. The process includes treating a proteinaceous containing material with an amount of a reducing agent, followed by hydrolysis of the keratin by a proteolytic enzyme to efficiently and economically convert a keratinaceous protein source into a palatable, highly digestible protein food product.