2024-04-19 06:30:35
Rapeseed and sunflower meals are protein-rich products obtained during oil extraction. Until now, they are valued without processing and are intended for animal feed. The Avril group and the LRGP are developing biorefining processes to produce new protein materials intended in particular for human food.
Rapeseed and sunflowers represent a real challenge for France and Europe. Rich in lipids and proteins, these two oil-protein plants make it possible to produce oil for food and biofuels, but also proteins in order to limit dependence on soya imported from the American continent. Until now, these vegetable proteins, called meal, are used as is, without processing, and are intended for animal feed. The Avril group and the LRGP (Reactions and Process Engineering Laboratory) are developing biorefining processes in order to produce new protein materials from these cakes and intended for human food, the needs for plant proteins of which have increased significantly over the last ten years. years, as well as animal feed.
The transformation processes implemented aim to extract the proteins contained in these cakes to improve their nutritional and functional properties, in particular surfactants, which are sought following in the formulation of food products: foaming agent and emulsifier. By purifying these protein materials, it is also possible to produce analogues of meat and dairy products (yogurts and vegetable milks). This refining also aims to eliminate anti-nutritional molecules (phytic acid, phenolic compounds, glucosinolates), responsible for plant taste problems.
Scientists from the Avril group and the LRGP worked on two types of protein products present in these meals. First of all, the isolates which are obtained through an extraction process and the use of an aqueous solvent, containing water, salt and acid. A second purification step using membrane processes then makes it possible to eliminate undesirable constituents to preserve only the protein.
“These processes already existed, but we adapted them so that they worked in optimal conditions with oilseeds, explains Romain Kapel, professor at the University of Lorraine and researcher at LRGP. We obtain an isolate containing at least 90% protein and interesting functional properties. Despite everything, we came to the conclusion that it would be very complicated to exploit this route industrially, because the quantities of salt and water used generate extremely large volumes of liquid effluents, which we do not know how to recover. Although this route makes it possible to obtain satisfactory products, its industrial exploitation is too complex. »
Develop a washing process with low environmental impact
The researchers then turned to another product contained in the cakes: the concentrate, less rich in proteins and more complex than the isolate, but for which the processes to be implemented to valorize it are different. Instead of extracting the proteins and then purifying them, the method involves removing unwanted molecules from the solid to leave only the protein. To do this, a washing process is used using a mixture containing water and a green solvent (ethanol) and by varying the conditions of use. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the target antinutritional molecules and obtain a product that can be used in human food.
To further this research work on this concentrate, which is currently very little known, the Avril group and the LRGP have created a joint laboratory called PROSEED. “Thanks to this washing process, we obtain a concentrate whose protein content varies between 60 and 70%, with a ceiling of 75%, whereas originally the content was 30 and 35%. revealed Romain Chapel. On the other hand, this product still contains dietary fiber and one of the scientific challenges of our work is to know how to control the process so as to obtain functional properties satisfactory for the food industry. The washing process can be brought to an industrial stage, but it will be necessary to find the right conditions to obtain functional properties which are complex to control. »
At the same time, research work is being carried out to recover liquid effluents from washing. Several avenues are being studied. For glucosinolates, one of the avenues envisaged is to use them for biocontrol, a method of plant protection using natural mechanisms. Here, the idea would be, for example, to manufacture biopesticides, because glucosinolate seeds are already used to repel insects and pests. As for phenolic compounds, these antioxidant molecules might be used in the field of biosourced chemistry. “We are working on processes for capturing these molecules from washing effluentsadds Romain Kapel. This work is part of an approach to evaluating the environmental impacts of these productions with notions of recircularity of inputs, that is to say water and ethanol. »
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