A method for removal of metal ions from rice hulls. The method includes: 1) providing a water storage reactor, and disposing a gas dispersion device at the bottom of the water storage reactor; 2) bagging rice hulls, placing it in the water storage reactor, and pressing down on the bagged rice hulls to be lower than a water surface in the water storage reactor; 3) spraying industrial flue gas into the water storage reactor; controlling the amount of the industrial flue gas such that about 1 g of carbon dioxide is dissolved per 100 g of water, thus generating a carbonic acid solution; 4) allowing the carbonic acid solution to react with metal ions in the rice hulls to yield a precipitate; and 5) washing the rice hulls collected in step 4), washing again with desalinated water, and then squeezing the rice hulls.

A method of de-oiling potato slices, which have been coated in oil, the steps of the method including providing a plurality of potato slices that were pre-treated in oil; and randomly feeding the potato slices onto an elongate longitudinal conveyor which is permeable to oil, water and air. Further, the method includes spraying water downwardly and upwardly onto the plurality of potato slices on the conveyor to displace and lift surface oil from the potato slices. Then, directing air blades to blow a mixture of oil and water from the potato slices as these move along the conveyor.

Methods of separating components traditionally considered as waste material from mold-fermented compositions are described. The waste components can be separated either from unfiltered compositions or from a separation stream separated from a composition. In some embodiments, filamentous fungus used in the production of the mold-fermented composition is specifically targeted for separation. Incorporation of separated waste components into various products are also described herein. In some embodiments, the separated components are used in alternative meat products and other foods designed for human consumption. Separated components can also be used in animal feed, as feed stock for other fermentation processes, or for use in treating food, creating cosmetics, or chemical processes.

A dietary supplement composition includes a shelf stable, supercritical CO.sub.2 fluid extracted, enhanced lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr) having about an enrichment of lauric, myristic, oleic and linoleic free fatty acids to total free fatty acids greater than about 82.0% and a ratio of free fatty acids to total fatty acids greater than about 80.08. A method of making the enhanced LSESr includes subjecting aged saw palmetto powder to supercritical CO.sub.2 extraction followed by first and second separations.

The invention provides a fenugreek extract composition containing at least one of diosgenin, gitogenin, sarsasapogenin, dioscin, protodioscin, pseudoprotodioscin, apigenin or a derivative thereof, luteolin or a derivative thereof, nicotinic acid or a derivative thereof, and kaempferol, or a salt or solvate of any one thereof. Also provided are processes of preparing the extract composition, and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical compositions containing the extract composition.

An oyster peptide with an effect of improving sexual function and a preparation method thereof are provided, the oyster peptide at least includes peptide segments RI, IR and VR in its composition. Based on a mass of the oyster peptide, a content of the RI is 3.60 mg/100 g, a content of the IR is 7.60 mg/100 g, and a content of the VR is 6.50 mg/100 g.