Provided herein are processes for separating seed oil from seed flour that is economical and produces a de-oiled flour that maintains the native form of proteins in the flour.

The present invention relates to a protein preparation of linseed and a cost-effective process for its production thereof. The protein preparation has a protein content of more than 30% by mass, an oil content of less than 68 by mass, a content of cyanogenic glycosides of less than 200 mg/kg and a brightness L* of greater than 75. The protein preparation is neutral in taste, light in color and of high quality, so that it is suitable for color and taste demanding food applications such as emulsions and baked goods.

Pulse proteins of reduced astringency are obtained by fractionating pulse protein products which are completely soluble and heat stable in aqueous media at acid pH value of less than about 4.4 into lower molecular weight, less astringent proteins and higher molecular weight, more astringent proteins.

The present invention concerns a process wherein native and functional protein-fibre concentrates can be successfully obtained from plant material such as oilseeds, legumes and lentils. This can be achieved by a proper pre-treatment of the plant material, followed by a method of partial extracting water-soluble proteins under mild and non-destructive conditions using an aqueous solvent, followed by purification of the solid residue using a novel combination of GRAS organic solvents.

Alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation or ultrafiltration method for preparation of protein isolates from oilseeds cakes/meals is followed. The strong alkaline and acidic conditions alter the functional properties of the protein, which adversely affects its quality. The present invention provides a microbial based process to produce protein isolates/concentrates from oilseed cakes/meals or from other similar type of sources either plant or animal origin without addition of strong or diluted acid. The protein is extracted in aqueous media or alkaline aqueous media with or without containing specified salt for specified duration. The extract is centrifuged, mixed with known microbial culture (the process is not limited to the particular strain) and incubated at particular temperature and duration. The precipitated protein is recovered and dried to get protein isolates/concentrates. The process is convertible to purely chemical free process as extraction of protein in potable water, precipitation of protein using microbial culture followed by drying.

A process for producing a protein concentrate from sunflower seed and a sunflower seed concentrate. The process comprises the successive steps of: a) providing a press cake from oilseed, said oilseed being at least partially dehulled before being pressed, wherein said press cake is not extracted with hexane b) washing said press cake by mixing it with a first acidic aqueous solution to obtain an aqueous-washed oilseed meal; c) washing said aqueous-washed oilseed meal by mixing it with a first alcohol solvent, to obtain a first alcohol-washed oilseed meal, wherein said first alcohol solvent is a hydrous or a non-hydrous alcohol and has an alcohol concentration which is above 75% w/w; and d) separating said alcohol-washed oilseed meal from said solvent to obtain said protein concentrate. The concentrate has a protein content of at least 55% dry matter w/w, preferably at least 65% dry matter w/w, and less than 80% dry matter w/w (N6.25); and a content of polyphenol compounds of less than 2% dry matter w/w, preferably equal or less than 1% dry matter w/w.

In industrial processing, grains of rapeseed are dehulled. Cold-pressed rapeseed core oil is pressed from a low-hull grain fraction having at most 4 weight percent of hulls. In a press cake being generated, the cake temperature is limited to 70 C., and a first residual oil content is reduced to 8 to 28 weight percent of the dry matter. Pressurized steam is supplied, and the press cake is subsequently expanded to form collets. The steam is metered such that the press cake is temporarily heated to above 100 C. and the collets have a temperature of 80 C. to 95 C. after the expansion. The collets are extracted with an organic solvent, a second residual oil content being reduced to 2 weight percent or less of the dry matter. After the expansion, some of the collets are returned and mixed with the low-hull grain fraction in order to increase the friction when being pressed.

A process for producing a protein isolate from an oilseed meal, and the isolate thus obtained, said isolate comprising proteins and an amount of 4 wt % or less of phytic acid, said amount of phytic acid being by weight of proteins in said isolate. The process may comprise the following steps: a) providing an oilseed meal; b) mixing the oilseed meal with a first aqueous solvent to form a slurry at a pH ranging from 6 to 7.8, said slurry having a solid phase; c) separating said solid phase from said slurry, d) mixing said separated solid phase with a second aqueous solvent at a pH ranging from 1 to 3.5, preferably from 2 to 3, to form a mixture said mixture having a liquid phase; e) separating said liquid phase from said mixture formed in step d); f) f1) mixing the separated liquid phase to a phytase at a temperature and a pH suitable for phytase activity to obtain a mixture having a liquid phase and a solid phase; and/or f2) mixing the separated liquid to a salt, to obtain a resulting liquid composition having a molar concentration of said salt ranging from 0.05 M to 0.5 M, at a temperature ranging from 40 C. to 70 C., to obtain a mixture having a liquid phase and a solid phase; g) precipitating a solid phase from the liquid of step f) for example by a cooling down step of the mixture to a temperature of 30 C. or less; h) separating said solid precipitate from the liquid of step g) said liquid comprising a water-rich liquid phase and an oil-rich liquid phase; i) separating said water-rich liquid phase from said oil-rich liquid phase, j) subjecting said water-rich liquid phase obtained in step i) to one or several membrane filtration(s) to obtain a protein isolate; and k) optionally, drying said protein isolate to obtain a dry protein isolate.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining a protein concentrate from sunflower seeds, to a sunflower seed concentrate and to a foodstuff comprising such a concentrate. The process comprises the use of a sunflower press cake and various extracting steps using an alcohol.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining a protein concentrate from sunflower seeds, to a sunflower seed concentrate and to a foodstuff comprising such a concentrate. The process comprises the use of a sunflower press cake and various extracting steps using an alcohol.