Preparation of tambacu protein concentrates using different methodologies

The aim of this study was to develop methodologies to obtain fish protein concentrates from tambacu filleting residues, characterize their physical-chemical composition and evaluate their sensory profile. Concentrates were prepared by one of three methodologies: cooking of the raw material and subsequent drying (FPC1); cooking, drying, lipid removal with ethanol at 70 °C and final drying (FPC2); and three washing steps of the raw material with ethanol at 70 °C and drying (FPC3). FPC2 had a lower final yield (15.5%) and chroma a* (1.77) and chroma b* values (14.12) but higher moisture (5.22%) and protein content (80.39%) and luminosity (74.97), in addition to having the weakest fish taste compared to FPC1 and FPC3. FPC1 had the strongest odour, darkest colour, and strongest fish taste compared to FPC2 and FPC3. Ash, pH values, and water activity were not different between the concentrates. It is concluded that the methodology where lipid removal steps are carried out after cooking and drying (FPC2) is more effective for the removal of lipids and deodorization of tambacu protein concentrate.

Oat Protein Concentrates with Improved Solubility Produced by an Enzyme-Aided Ultrafiltration Extraction Method

The aim of this study was to develop an extraction method to produce highly functional oat protein concentrates. We investigated the possibility of combining enzyme-aided slightly alkaline (pH 8.0) extraction with ultrafiltration and subsequent diafiltration for concentration of the extracted oat proteins. A further aim was to study how the deamidation of oat proteins with protein-glutaminase (PG) improves the solubility of proteins as a function of the following parameters: pH (6.0–9.0), enzyme dosage (4–20 U/g protein), and incubation time (1–4 h) with response surface methodology (RSM). Furthermore, we investigated selected functional properties, such as heat-induced gelation and solubility, of the oat protein concentrates. The chosen parameters for the enzymatic deamidation pre-treatment process by PG were as follows: pH 8.0, dosage 11.0 U/g protein, and an incubation time of 4 h (1 h at native pH and 3 h at pH 8.0). Two oat protein concentrates were produced, non-deamidated and ultrafiltered, and deamidated and ultrafiltered, with protein concentrations of 45.0 and 52.4%, respectively. The solubility of both oat protein concentrates was significantly improved at neutral and slightly alkaline pH compared to the solubility of proteins extracted from the starting material. Additionally, both oat protein concentrates produced equally strong heat-induced gel-like structures at a protein concentration of 10%.

High throughput method development and optimised production of leaf protein concentrates with potential to support the agri-industry

Invasive plants offer an interesting and unconventional source of protein and the considerable investment made towards their eradication can potentially be salvaged through their revalorisation. To identify viable sources, effective and high-throughput screening methods are required, as well as efficient procedures to isolate these components. Rigorous assessment of low-cost, high-throughput screening assays for total sugar, phenolics and protein was performed, and ninhydrin, Lever and Fast Blue assays were found to be most suitable owing to high reliability scores and false positive errors less than 1%. These assays were used to characterise invasive Scottish plants such as Gorse (Ulex europeans), Broom (Cystisus scoparius) and Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium). Protein extraction (alkali-, heat- and enzyme assisted) were tested on these plants, and further purification (acid and ethanol precipitation, as well as ultrafiltration) procedures were tested on Gorse, based on protein recovery values. Cellulase treatment and ethanol precipitation gave the highest protein recovery (64.0 ± 0.5%) and purity (96.8 ± 0.1%) with Gorse. The amino acid profile of the purified protein revealed high levels of essential amino acids (34.8 ± 0.0%). Comparison of results with preceding literature revealed a strong association between amino acid profiles and overall protein recovery with the extraction method employed. The final purity of the protein concentrates was closely associated to the protein content of the initial plant mass. Leaf protein extraction technology can effectively raise crop harvest indices, revalorise underutilised plants and waste streams.

Value-Added Products from Ethanol Fermentation—A Review

Global demand for renewable and sustainable energy is increasing, and one of the most common biofuels is ethanol. Most ethanol is produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) fermentation of either crops rich in sucrose (e.g., sugar cane and sugar beet) or starch-rich crops (e.g., corn and starchy grains). Ethanol produced from these sources is termed a first-generation biofuel. Yeast fermentation can yield a range of additional valuable co-products that accumulate during primary fermentation (e.g., protein concentrates, water soluble metabolites, fusel alcohols, and industrial enzymes). Distillers’ solubles is a liquid co-product that can be used in animal feed or as a resource for recovery of valuable materials. In some processes it is preferred that this fraction is modified by a second fermentation with another fermentation organism (e.g., lactic acid bacteria). Such two stage fermentations can produce valuable compounds, such as 1,3-propanediol, organic acids, and bacteriocins. The use of lactic acid bacteria can also lead to the aggregation of stillage proteins and enable protein aggregation into concentrates. Once concentrated, the protein has utility as a high-protein feed ingredient. After separation of protein concentrates the remaining solution is a potential source of several known small molecules. The purpose of this review is to provide policy makers, bioethanol producers, and researchers insight into additional added-value products that can be recovered from ethanol beers. Novel products may be isolated during or after distillation. The ability to isolate and purify these compounds can provide substantial additional revenue for biofuel manufacturers through the development of marketable co-products.

Improving modes of germination of seeds of mung bean, chickpea and soybeans for obtaining high-protein concentrates

There is nearly no production of legume seedlings rich in protein, aminoacids, crude fiber, micro- and macro-elements, bioactive agents as well as the derived balanced foodstuffs in Belarus. Due to this fact, the local market is dominated by the imported premium price commodities. The purpose of the research is to develop optimal temperature and humidity conditions for germinating seeds of mung bean, chickpea and soybeans, obtaining high-protein concentrates and assessing their consumer properties. Mathematical modeling experiments have enabled to optimize temperature and humidity parameters of scarcely studied seed germination process of mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) organoleptic, physicochemical, biochemical characteristics, and microbiology safety of sprouts were evaluated. Laboratory resource-saving technology of producing protein enriched concentrates from legume grain feedstock has been developed, and it may lay the basis for large-scale manufacture thereof. Germinated seed concentrates of mung bean, 502 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, agrarian Series, 2021, vol. 59, no. 4 рр. 501–512 chickpea and soybean are likely to be in sharp demand as ingredients of novel healthy nutrition recipes and natural cosmetic formulas intended to enlarge the range of offered commercial products. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out as part of the state program of scientific research “Biotechnologies” (2016-2020), subprogram “Microbial biotechnology”

Chemical composition, functional and technological (processing) properties of whey ingredients

The growth in volumes of the milk whey manufacturing has revealed the new field of processing, such as dry whey ingredients production. The authors have made investigations of chemical composition, functional and technological (processing) properties of whey protein concentrates with protein of 35, 55, 80 % in dry matter, whey protein hydrolysate and cheese whey permeate. We used standard methods, generally accepted in research practice. The chemical composition of the tested samples has been determined, including their rehydration properties in terms of wettability, dispersibility and solubility. Heat denaturation of whey proteins during the processing is the reason for the bound groups–SH release and their reactivity enhancement, which provides antioxidant effect of whey ingredients (the antioxidant content in the tested samples is 0.031; 0.058; 0.095; 0.146 and 0.024 mg/g for the whey protein concentrates with protein of 35, 55, 80 % in dry matter, whey protein hydrolysate and whey permeate respectively). The functional and technological properties of whey ingredients make possible their application while producing different product line groups in order to control the technological processes and the quality factors of the enriched products.

Grain of narrow-leaved lupine with inclusion of organic micronutrient complex OMC as an alternative to soybeans in protein concentrates

The article presents the research data on the use of high-protein extruded concentrates based on narrow-leaved lupine in the compound feed in combination with organic microelement complex OMEK-7 M (complex, microelement additive produced by CJSC “Bioamid”, Saratov) in order to replace soybean. The studies were carried out on a cattle farm in the settlement of Novgorodskoe, Guryevskii district, Kaliningrad region (Temp LLC). The object of the research were calves of black-and-wheat breed. It was found that due to the extrusion of lupine grain in combination with OMEC premix, a competitive, import-substituting soybean-based protein concentrate with a high degree of bioavailability of feed was obtained. It contains a sufficient protein content of 26% and a low fiber content of 4.05%, which is very important for calves in the dairy period.