Wheat Albumin Purification for Low-Bitterness Emulsifying Protein

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wheat albumin products suffer from low emulsifying activity, high bitterness, and limited foaming capacity, making them unsuitable for many industrial applications, particularly in food, feed, and cosmetic industries.

Innovation Solution

A process involving microfiltration, cationic chromatography, and ultrafiltration to produce a non-vital wheat protein, specifically wheat albumin, with enhanced emulsifying activity above 500g of oil per g of protein, low bitterness, and foaming capacity above 250%, using a sequence of eluents in cationic chromatography including 20mM malic acid and 3mM sodium carbonate at pH 6.2, 20mM malic acid, 3mM sodium carbonate, and 0.5 M NaCl at pH 6.2, and 30mM sodium carbonate and 0.45M NaCl at pH 12.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional wheat albumin is used, then production is simple, but emulsifying activity is low and foaming capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction simplicityVSAvoidemulsifying activity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the wheat albumin production process into multiple purification stages (microfiltration, cationic chromatography, ultrafiltration) to separate and concentrate specific protein fractions with enhanced emulsifying and foaming properties, transforming a simple production process into a multi-stage refinement process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the purification parameters by using specific eluents (20mM malic acid and 3mM sodium carbonate at pH 6.2, followed by 30mM sodium carbonate and 0.45M NaCl at pH 12) in cationic chromatography to selectively elute protein fractions with superior functional properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional wheat albumin is used, then production cost is low, but bitterness is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction costVSAvoidbitterness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes bitter-tasting protein fractions through the multi-stage purification process, specifically using cationic chromatography to separate and discard fractions with high bitterness while retaining fractions with low bitterness and high functional activity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the elution parameters in cationic chromatography (using specific pH values of 6.2 and 12 with defined salt concentrations) to selectively elute protein fractions that have low bitterness while maintaining high emulsifying and foaming capacities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If purification process is enhanced, then emulsifying activity increases, but process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemulsifying activityVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the purification process into three distinct sequential stages (microfiltration, cationic chromatography, ultrafiltration), each performing a specific function to progressively purify and concentrate the wheat albumin, making the complex process manageable and controllable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a multi-functional purification system where the same cationic chromatography column can process different wheat solubles inputs and produce consistent high-quality output, and where the process can be adapted to produce different protein fractions based on elution conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 results in a wheat albumin with significantly improved emulsifying activity and foaming capacity, achieving over 600g of oil emulsified per g of protein and 300% foaming, while maintaining low bitterness, suitable for various industrial uses.

Implementation Method 1

applying cationic chromatography to microfiltration permeate allowing production of fractions of enriched wheat albumins

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon Exchange: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 2

Microfiltration permeate is fed on a cationic resin, in order to bind proteins

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

applying microfiltration to wheat solubles in order to obtain a microfiltration permeate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical Filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 4

applying ultrafiltration to fractions of enriched wheat albumin above, together or alone, in order to obtain a more albumin-enriched retentate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrafiltration: Semipermeable Membrane

Data Source

PatentEP3806648B1Non-vital wheat protein and its production process

Publication Date: 2025.11.12 ROQUETTE FRERES SA

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AI summary

This invention relates to a non-vital wheat protein, preferably wheat albumin, which is characterized by its high emulsion activity, high foam capacity and its low bitterness. This invention also relates to a process that allows industrial production of such non-vital wheat protein, preferably wheat albumin. Finally, this invention relates to industrial uses, including food, feed, cosmetical and pharmaceutical applications.