AQUEOUS EXTRACTION OF OIL AND PROTEIN FROM SOYBEAN AND LUPIN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Optimization of Soybean Protein Extraction with Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH) Using Response Surface Methodology

Plants have been recognized as renewable and sustainable sources of proteins. However, plant protein extraction is challenged by the plant's recalcitrant cell wall. The conventional extraction methods make use of non-reusable strong alkali chemicals in protein-denaturing extraction conditions. In this study, soy protein was extracted using NH4OH, a weak, recoverable, and reusable alkali. The extraction conditions were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). A central composite design (CCD) with four independent variables: temperature (25, 40, 55, 70, and 85 °C); NH4OH concentration (0.5, 1, and 1.5%); extraction time (6, 12, 18, and 24 h) and solvent ratio (1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20 w/v) were used to study the response variables (protein yield and amine concentration). Amine concentration indicates the extent of protein hydrolysis. The RSM model equation for the independent and response variables was computed and used to create the contour plots. A predicted yield of 64.89% protein and 0.19 mM amine revealed a multiple R-squared value of 0.83 and 0.78, respectively. The optimum conditions to obtain the maximum protein yield (65.66%) with the least amine concentration (0.14 Mm) were obtained with 0.5% NH4OH concentration, 12 h extraction time, and a 1:10 (w/v) solvent ratio at 52.5 °C. The findings suggest that NH4OH is suitable to extract soybean protein with little or no impact on protein denaturation.

Extraction, nutrition, functionality and commercial applications of canola proteins as an underutilized plant protein source for human nutrition

Concerns about sustainability and nutrition security have encouraged the food sector to replace animal proteins in food formulations with underutilized plant protein sources and their co-products. In this scenario, canola protein-rich materials produced after oil extraction, including canola cold-pressed cakes and meals, offer an excellent opportunity, considering their nutritional advantages such as a well-balanced amino acid composition and their potential bioactivity. However, radical differences among major proteins (i.e., cruciferin and napin) in terms of the physicochemical properties, and the presence of a wide array of antinutritional factors in canola, impede the production of a highly pure protein extract with a reasonable extraction yield. In this manuscript, principles regarding the extraction methods applicable for the production of canola protein concentrates and isolates are explored in detail. Alkaline and salt extraction methods are presented as the primary isolation methods, which result in cruciferin-rich and napin-rich isolates with different nutritional and functional properties. Since a harsh alkaline condition would result in an inferior functionality in protein isolates, strategies are recommended to reduce the required solvent alkalinity, including using a combination of salt and alkaline and employing membrane technologies, application of proteases and carbohydrases to facilitate the protein solubilization from biomass, and novel green physical methods, such as ultrasound and microwave treatments. In terms of the commercialization progress, several canola protein products have received a GRAS notification so far, which facilitates their incorporation in food formulations, such as bakery, beverages, salad dressings, meat products and meat analogues, and dairies.

Structural and chemical changes induced by temperature and pH hinder the digestibility of whey proteins

In the food and feed industry, protein extraction is commonly performed under acid or basic conditions, combined with heat, in order to increase the extraction yield. Under severe processing conditions, proteins may undergo molecular modifications. Here, the effects of heating (30, 60, 90 °C) at different pH values (2, 7, 9, 11, 13) were evaluated on commercial whey proteins, used as a simplified protein model. The main structure and chemical modifications concerning protein aggregation, hydrolysis, insolubilization, amino acid degradation and racemization were investigated in detail. Using in vitro static models, the degree of protein hydrolysis and the released peptides were determined after the digestive process. Accumulation of molecular modifications was mostly observed after basic pH and high temperatures treatments, together with a marked decrease and modification of the digestibility profile. Instead, protein digestibility increased in neutral and acidic conditions in a temperature-dependent manner, even if some modification in the structure occurs.

Characterization and Demulsification of the Oil-Rich Emulsion from the Aqueous Extraction Process of Almond Flour

The aqueous extraction process (AEP) allows the concurrent extraction of oil and protein from almond flour without the use of harsh solvents. However, the majority of the oil extracted in the AEP is present in an emulsion that needs to be demulsified for subsequent industrial utilization. The effects of scaling-up the AEP of almond flour from 0.7 to 7 L and the efficiency of enzymatic and chemical approaches to demulsify the cream were evaluated. The AEP was carried out at pH 9.0, solids-to-liquid ratio of 1:10, and constant stirring of 120 rpm at 50 °C. Oil extraction yields of 61.9% and protein extraction yields of 66.6% were achieved. At optimum conditions, enzymatic and chemical demulsification strategies led to a sevenfold increase (from 8 to 66%) in the oil recovery compared with the control. However, enzymatic demulsification resulted in significant changes in the physicochemical properties of the cream protein and faster demulsification (29% reduction in the incubation time and a small reduction in the demulsification temperature from 55 to 50 °C) compared with the chemical approach. Reduced cream stability after enzymatic demulsification could be attributed to the hydrolysis of the amandin α-unit and reduced protein hydrophobicity. Moreover, the fatty acid composition of the AEP oil obtained from both demulsification strategies was similar to the hexane extracted oil.

Aqueous and Enzymatic Extraction of Oil and Protein from Almond Cake: A Comparative Study

The almond cake is a protein- and oil-rich by-product of the mechanical expression of almond oil that has the potential to be used as a source of valuable proteins and lipids for food applications. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the individual and combined effects of solids-to-liquid ratio (SLR), reaction time, and enzyme use on oil and protein extraction yields from almond cake. A central composite rotatable design was employed to maximize the overall extractability and distribution of extracted components among the fractions generated by the aqueous (AEP) and enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP). Simultaneous extraction of oil and protein by the AEP was favored by the use of low SLR (1:12.82) and longer reaction times (2 h), where extraction yields of 48.2% and 70% were achieved, respectively. Increased use of enzyme (0.85%) in the EAEP resulted in higher oil (50%) and protein (75%) extraction yields in a shorter reaction time (1 h), compared with the AEP at the same reaction time (41.6% oil and 70% protein extraction). Overall, extraction conditions that favored oil and protein extraction also favored oil yield in the cream and protein yield in the skim. However, increased oil yield in the skim was observed at conditions where higher oil extraction was achieved. In addition to improving oil and protein extractability, the use of enzyme during the extraction resulted in the production of skim fractions with smaller and more soluble peptides at low pH (5.0), highlighting possible uses of the EAEP skim in food applications involving acidic pH. The implications of the use of enzyme during the extraction regarding the de-emulsification of the EAEP cream warrant further investigation.

Protein extraction from agri-food residues for integration in biorefinery: Potential techniques and current status

The biorefinery concept is attracting scientific and policy attention as a promising option for enhancing the benefits of agri-food biomass along with a reduction of the environmental impact. Obtaining bioproducts based on proteins from agri-food residues could help to diversify the revenue stream in a biorefinery. In fact, the extracted proteins can be applied as such or in the form of hydrolyzates due to their nutritional, bioactive and techno-functional properties. In this context, the present review summarizes, exemplifies and discusses conventional extraction methods and current trends to extract proteins from residues of the harvesting, post-harvesting and/or processing of important crops worldwide. Moreover, those extraction methods just integrated in a biorefinery scheme are also described. In conclusion, a plethora of methods exits but only some of them have been applied in biorefinery designs, mostly at laboratory scale. Their economic and technical feasibility at large scale requires further study.

Parameters affecting enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction of extruded sunflower meal

Microscopic observation of sunflower meal before and after extraction indicated that extensive cellular disruption was achieved by extrusion, but that unextracted oil remained sequestered as coalesced oil within the void spaces of disrupted cotyledon cells. A full factorial design experiment was defined to develop aqueous extraction processing (AEP) with and without enzymes to improve vegetable oil extraction yields of extruded sunflower meal. This experimental design studied the influence of four parameters, agitation, liquid/solid (L/S) ratio, and cellulase and protease addition, on extraction yield of lipid and protein. Agitation and addition of cellulases increased oil extraction yield, indicating that emulsification of oil and alteration of the geometry of the confining cellular matrix were important mechanisms for improving yields. Protease and liquid-solid ratio of the extraction mixture did not have significant effects, indicating key differences with previously established soy oil extraction mechanisms. Maximum yields attained for oil and protein extraction were 39% and 90%, respectively, with the aid of a surfactant.

Towards plant protein refinery: Review on protein extraction using alkali and potential enzymatic assistance

The globally increasing protein demands require additional resources to those currently available. Furthermore, the optimal usage of protein fractions from both traditional and new protein resources, such as algae and leaves, is essential. Here, we present an overview on alkaline plant protein extraction including the potentials of enzyme addition in the form of proteases and/or carbohydrolases. Strategic biomass selection, combined with the appropriate process conditions can increase protein yields after extraction. Enzyme addition, especially of proteases, can be useful when alkaline protein extraction yields are low. These additions can also be used to enable processing at a pH closer to 7 to avoid the otherwise severe conditions that denature proteins. Finally, a protein biorefinery concept is presented that aims to upcycle residual biomass by separating essential amino acids to be used for food and feed, and non-essential amino acids for production of bulk chemicals.

Comparison and optimization of enzymatic saccharification of soybean fibers recovered from aqueous extractions

Soybean insoluble fractions recovered from aqueous extraction processing (AEP) and enzyme-assisted AEP (EAEP) of full-fat soybean flakes (FFSF) and extruded FFSF were evaluated as a feedstock for the production of fermentable sugars using enzymes. Among the four insoluble fractions (AEP FFSF, EAEP FFSF, AEP extruded FFSF and EAEP extruded FFSF), the composition analysis revealed that the one recovered from EAEP of extruded FFSF had the highest glucan content, 16% [dry basis (db)], as compared to about 10% (db) for the other fractions. Thirty-three percent of the initial glucan of the insoluble recovered from AEP and EAEP of FFSF were converted into glucose using 33 FPU of Accellerase 1000/g-glucan. This saccharification yield was increased to 44% with extruded fibers. The higher saccharification yield of 49% was obtained at 45 °C, 1% glucan loading, and 101 FPU/g-glucan enzymes loading after 27 h of hydrolysis.

(31)P NMR phospholipid profiling of soybean emulsion recovered from aqueous extraction

The quantity and composition of phospholipids in full-fat soybean flour, flakes, and extruded flakes and in the cream fraction recovered after aqueous extraction (AEP) and enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction (EAEP) of these substrates were studied with (31)P NMR. Extruded flakes had significantly more phosphatidic acid (PA) than flakes and flour prior to aqueous extraction. The PA content of the cream recovered after AEP and EAEP of extruded flakes was similar to that of the starting material, whereas the PA content of the creams from flour and flakes significantly increased. Changes in the PA content could be explained by the action of phospholipase D during the processing step and aqueous extraction. Total phospholipids in the oil recovered from the creams varied from 0.09 to 0.75%, and free oil yield, which is an indicator of cream stability, varied from 6 to 78%. Total phospholipid did not correlate with emulsion stability when it was lower than 0.20%. Inactivation of phospholipase D prior to aqueous extraction of flour resulted in a cream emulsion less stable toward enzymatic demulsification and containing less PA and total phospholipids than untreated flour. The phospholipid distributions in the cream, skim, and insolubles obtained from AEP flour were 7, 51, and 42%, respectively.