Method for hydrolysing protein materials

Abstract

A process for splitting protein materials of animal or plant origin to peptides with molecular weights from below 10 KDa to 260 KDa, decontamination of bone meal and destroying allergenic proteins. For these purposes the protein materials in an aqueous medium are subjected to the action of an alternate electric current at p H 7.5-9, temperature 30 C.-160 C. at a pressure of 1-6 bar and within a reaction time from 5 to 150 min. A protein splitting reactor comprising at least two electrodes contained within a cylindrical vessel having inlet and outlet ports at opposite ends; wherein one electrode is electrically and mechanically connected with the vessel wall and is a neutral point connected to earth; wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode and is connected to a single phase of an electric power supply.

Claims

1. A process for splitting protein materials of animal or plant origin, the process comprising: mixing the protein material to a pourable suspension with water; adjusting pH of the suspension above pH 7 and below pH 10 by adding alkaline material; splitting of protein material in the suspension by passing alternate electrical current through the material, wherein the said step of splitting occurs in a protein splitting reactor; separating the suspension with the split protein material into a sediment that contains the insoluble components of protein containing materials and an aqueous supernatant in which the products of split animal or plant proteins are dissolved; isolating products of splitting animal or plant protein molecules so that the split protein molecules have defined molecular weights in the range of up to 260 KDa.

2. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claim 1; wherein the pourable suspension has concentration of 5-50% mass of protein material.

3. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claims 1-2; wherein the pourable suspension has pH in the range of 7.5-9, preferably 7.8-8.5 adjusted by adding alkaline material.

4. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claims 1-3; wherein splitting occurs in a temperature range of 35 C. to 160 C. at a pressure of 1-6 bar;

5. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claim 1-4, wherein within a reaction time from 5 to 150 min.

6. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claim 1, wherein splitting is carried out in a continuous mode.

7. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claim 1 or claim 6, wherein the protein splitting reactor is an ohmic heater.

8. A process for decontamination of bone meal from pathogenic protein agents by splitting protein materials as specified in claims 1-5, wherein in order to decontaminate bone meal the separated insoluble material is treated in the protein splitting reactor.

9. A process for splitting protein materials as specified in claims 1-5, wherein the splitting is used to destroy gluten in a wheat meal.

10. A process for decontamination of bone meal from pathogenic protein agents by splitting protein materials as specified in claim 8, wherein the protein material is an animal by-product and the splitting occurs at 100 C.-160 C. at a pressure 1-6 bar for 30 120 min and the separated insoluble bone material is treated in the protein splitting reactor at 100 C.-160 C. at a pressure 1-6 bar for 15-45 min.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the following figures, in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the plant for manufacturing various protein hydrolysates of animal origin and prion destruction plant.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the plant for manufacturing various protein hydrolysates of plant origin.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows the exemplary reactor schematics.

[0020] The drawings included in the present application are incorporated into, and form part of the specification. They illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, along with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings are only illustrative of certain embodiments and do not limit the disclosure.

Definitions

[0021] As used herein, the term animal, as in protein materials of animal origin as described above, is intended to mean protein materials originated from mammals and non-mammals, including fish, molluscs, other cold-blooded animals, arthropods and prokaryotes.

[0022] As used herein, the term plant as in protein materials of plant origin as described above, is intended to mean protein materials originated from multi- or monocellular photosynthetic eukaryotes, other eukaryotes like yeasts, algi and fungi.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The feedstock materials contain a large amount of protein material which can be converted into useful protein hydrolysates. The process of the present invention is concerned with a process of converting the feedstock into protein hydrolysates and decontaminated bone meal.

[0024] The most surprising and unexpected result was that passing alternate electric current through the slightly alkaline suspension of protein materials of animal or vegetable origin resulted in the quick formation of protein hydrolysates containing peptides with molecular weights depending on the amount of electrical energy applied to the material and individual amino acids. Depending on the residence time and amount of electrical energy applied the hydrolysates containing peptides with different molecular weights could be obtained. Elongated residence times result in the complete destruction of proteins and this method could be used for the manufacture of prion-free bone meal.

[0025] Ohmic heaters as described in the paper A comprehensive review on applications of ohmic heating (OH) by Mohamed Sakr, Shuli Liu published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 39(2014) 262-269, DOI 10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.061 or elsewhere can be used as the protein-splitting reactor for passing electric current through the suspension of protein containing materials of animal or plant origin. However the preferable is the reactor shown in FIG. 3 and described further herein.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows the exemplary flow chart of a plant for the production of protein hydrolysates of animal origin and decontaminated bone meal.

[0027] Protein containing material of animal origin (meat and bone meal, feather meal, fish meal, etc.) is loaded into a stirred tank 4 where suspension of this material is prepared. The pH of obtained suspension is adjusted to pH 7.5-9.5, preferably 8-8.5 using any suitable inorganic water-soluble base, for example NaOH. Obtained alkaline suspension is pumped to a protein splitting reactor 5 where it is treated for 10-60 minutes at the temperature range of 35-150 C. and pressure up to 6 barg. From the reactor 5 the mixture is directed into a vacuum tank 6 where it is depressurised to the pressure of 0.1 bara. Depressurised reactor effluent is fed into a decanter centrifuge 7. Separated bone is fed into a second protein splitting reactor 8, where it is treated for 10-150 minutes at the temperature range of 120-150 C. and pressure up to 6 barg. After that reactor the decontaminated bone meal is directed to drying and packing.

[0028] Liquid stream from decanter centrifuge 7 is fed into ultracentrifuge 10 where protein hydrolysate is separated from water containing some glycerine. This water is returned to the front end to the stirred tank 4 where it used for the preparation of the suspension of protein containing material.

[0029] Obtained finished hydrolysate is neutralised with a suitable mineral acid in a stirred tank 14 and is directed 15 to drying (if necessary) and packing.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the exemplary flow chart of a plant for the production of protein hydrolysates of plant origin.

[0031] Protein containing material of plant origin (lupine, soya, peas, wheat meal etc.) is loaded into a stirred tank 4 where suspension of this material is prepared. The pH of obtained suspension is adjusted to pH 7.5-9.5, preferably 8-8.5 using any suitable inorganic water-soluble base, for example NaOH. Obtained alkaline suspension is pumped to a protein-splitting reactor 5 where it is treated for 10-60 minutes at the temperature range of 35-150 C. and pressure up to 6 barg. From the reactor 5 the mixture is directed into a vacuum tank 6 where it is depressurised to the pressure of 0.1 bara. Depressurised reactor effluent is fed into a decanter centrifuge 7. Separated cellulose material is directed to further treatment.

[0032] Liquid stream from decanter centrifuge 7 is fed into ultracentrifuge 9 where protein hydrolysate is separated from water containing some glycerine. This water is returned to the front end to the stirred tank 4 where it used for the preparation of the suspension of protein containing material.

[0033] Obtained finished hydrolysate is neutralised with a suitable mineral acid in a stirred tank 12 and is directed to drying 13 (if necessary) and packing.

[0034] The process is preferably carried out in a continuous manner, for example, by pumping the feedstock reaction mixture through a sufficiently long ohmic heater or the reactor described below. Alternatively, it can be carried out as a batch process.

[0035] Instead of a conventional ohmic heater described elsewhere the preferred construction of the protein splitting reactor is described below.

[0036] The exemplary reactor chart is shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] The reactor consists of a pressure vessel 1 that could be manufactured from a suitable material required to withstand pressure, (for example stainless steel 316L) with hydraulic connections 2 (in case of a continuous process) and sensors for pressure and temperature, 3. Inside this casing is a tube 4 made of electrically conductive material (steel, graphite or other analogous suitable material) connected mechanically and electrically to the casing. The diameter and length of the tube is determined by the protein material conversion requirements. The tube 4 is a zero electrode. In the center of the reactor is placed the phase electrode 5 made of electrically conductive material (steel, graphite or other suitable material). This electrode could be a rod or a hollow pipe cooled by the converted material. This electrode is electrically isolated from the housing and internal graphite tube. For the reactor operations requiring power greater than 20 kW, a three-reactor system in parallel or in series configuration is used in order to ensure a uniform load on the network.

[0038] It will be appreciated that any suitable techniques may be employed in the process; for example instead of a decanter centrifuge a filter press, dewatering cyclone or a rotary drum vacuum filter can be used. Suitable device will be well known per se to those skilled in the art.

[0039] It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0040] The invention is illustrated by the following examples. The examples are intended for illustration only and the present invention is not any way limited by the examples.

Example 1

[0041] Lupine meal (3 kg) was loaded to the reactor that was described above. Then the reactor was sealed and the process started. The current frequency was 50 Hz.

[0042] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00001 Time, hr: Current, Temperature Pressure, min A [ C.] barg Notes 00:07 30.0 81 0.00 00:08 31.0 85 0.00 00:09 34.0 94 0.00 00:10 35.8 101 0.75 00:11 39.4 108 1.30 00:12 36.5 110 1.60 00:13 38.2 112 1.75 00:14 38.3 114 2.00 00:15 38.4 116 2.30 00:17 38.3 117 2.50 117 2.50 Stopped 00:18 38.0 119 2.40 119 2.40 Stopped 00:19 38.4 130 2.60 00:20 0.0 133 2.60 133 2.60 First sample taken 00:25 33.0 134 2.50 00:26 35.0 140 2.90 140 2.90 Stopped 140 2.90 Second sample taken 00:31 30.7 137 2.90 00:32 30.7 137 2.90 00:33 31.3 139 3.00 00:34 32.7 140 3.30 00:35 33.0 140 3.30 Stopped 00:35 143 3.50 Stopped 00:37 143 3.50 Third sample taken 00:39 24.1 143 3.50 00:40 24.9 134 2.50 00:41 26.5 138 2.90 00:42 26.9 141 3.30 00:42 143 3.60 Stopped 00:43 26.4 143 3.60 00:44 27.3 144 3.50 00:44 147 4.00 Stopped 00:45 147 4.00 147 4.00 Fourth sample taken through a bottom valve

[0043] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 60-240 KDa.

Example 2

[0044] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1 aside from current frequency that was 60 Hz. The hydrolysed material was 3 kg of a pea meal.

[0045] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00002 Time, hr: Current, Temperature, Pressure, min A C. barg 00:00 35.0 22 0.00 00:02 34.3 24 0.00 00:03 27.9 29 0.00 00:05 28.0 34 0.00 00:06 27.8 38 0.00 00:07 34.7 41 0.00 00:08 28.1 45 0.00 00:10 28.0 49 0.00 00:11 22.2 52 0.00 00:13 22.0 54 0.00 00:15 21.9 56 0.00 00:16 21.9 57 0.00 00:20 29.1 59 0.00 00:21 28.1 61 0.00 00:22 28.1 62 0.00 00:25 28.2 67 0.00 00:36 28.3 73 0.00 00:38 28.3 75 0.25 00:39 28.3 77 0.00 01:04 21.8 92 0.00 01:09 28.6 97 0.50 01:30 32.9 96 0.00 01:31 33.1 97 0.00 01:32 33.1 98 0.00 01:33 33.1 100 0.10 01:40 33.1 104 0.50 01:41 33.2 105 0.55 01:43 33.1 106 0.60 01:44 33.2 107 0.65 01:45 32.8 108 0.70

[0046] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 40-80 KDa.

Example 3

[0047] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1. The hydrolysed material was 3 kg of a soya meal.

[0048] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00003 Time, hr: Current, Temperature, Pressure, min A C. barg Notes 00:00 35.2 23 0.00 00:01 36.6 27 0.00 00:02 36.8 31 0.00 00:03 36.6 36 0.00 00:04 36.8 41 0.00 00:05 32.8 47 0.00 00:06 14.2 51 0.00 00:07 13.0 53 0.20 00:08 9.8 55 0.50 00:09 10.4 58 0.90 00:10 7.7 59 0.80 00:11 4.6 62 0.00 Gas drained 00:13 3.7 67 0.00 00:14 3.3 68 0.00 00:15 3.0 69 0.00 00:16 3.6 70 0.00 00:17 2.9 70 0.00 00:18 2.7 70 0.00 00:21 2.6 78 0.00 00:23 6.7 97 1.40 00:24 4.5 99 1.50 00:25 3.5 101 1.40 00:26 3.3 102 1.30 00:27 2.8 102 1.20 00:28 4.0 102 1.10 00:29 5.9 104 1.20 00:30 3.7 106 1.10 00:32 10.0 106 1.00 00:33 3.1 106 1.00 00:35 3.2 107 1.00 00:36 2.2 107 1.00 00:38 First sample taken 00:44 2.5 125 2.50 00:44 0.0 125 2.50 Second sample taken 00:44 0.0 125 2.50 Third sample taken from bottom valve

[0049] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 130-270 KDa.

Example 4

[0050] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1. The hydrolysed material was 3 kg of an animal by-product category 3 (meat and bone meal).

[0051] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00004 Time, Current, Temperature, Pressure, hh:min A C. barg 00:00 35.0 22 0.00 00:02 34.3 24 0.00 00:03 27.9 29 0.00 00:05 28.0 34 0.00 00:06 27.8 38 0.00 00:07 34.7 41 0.00 00:08 28.1 45 0.00 00:10 28.0 49 0.00 00:11 22.2 52 0.00 00:13 22.0 54 0.00 00:15 21.9 56 0.00 00:16 21.9 57 0.00 00:20 29.1 59 0.00 00:21 28.1 61 0.00 00:22 28.1 62 0.00 00:25 28.2 67 0.00 00:36 28.3 73 0.00 00:38 28.3 75 0.25 00:39 28.3 77 0.00 01:04 21.8 92 0.00 01:09 28.6 97 0.50 01:30 32.9 96 0.00 01:31 33.1 97 0.00 01:32 33.1 98 0.00 01:33 33.1 100 0.10 01:40 33.1 104 0.50 01:41 33.2 105 0.55 01:43 33.1 106 0.60 01:44 33.2 107 0.65 01:45 32.8 108 0.70 01:47 32.7 109 0.75 01:48 32.8 110 0.80 01:49 32.7 112 0.80 01:50 32.9 113 0.90 01:53 32.9 114 1.00 01:54 33.0 115 1.10 01:55 33.0 116 1.10 01:57 33.0 117 1.15 02:01 26.0 119 1.20 02:07 32.9 120 1.30 02:09 32.9 121 1.40 02:12 32.6 122 1.40 02:13 39.2 123 1.50 02:15 33.0 124 1.50 02:20 36.2 125 1.50 02:23 35.2 126 1.60

[0052] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that no peptides with molecular mass exceeding 10 KDa are present.

[0053] Hydrolysate also contained following amino acids determined by HPLC:

TABLE-US-00005 Amino acid Concentration, g/kg Histidine 2.44 0.32 Serine 6.52 0.85 Arginine 9.96 1.29 Glycine 22.3 1.8 Asparagine 10.7 1.4 Glutamine 18.6 2.4 Threonine 4.4 0.57 Alanine 11.7 1.6 Proline 14.2 1.3 Lysine 6.22 0.56 Tyrosine 2.74 0.38 Valine 6.13 0.67 Isoleucine 4.11 0.49 Leucine 8.41 0.93 Phenylalanine 4.82 0.63 Cysteine 0.764 0.099 Methionine 1.77 0.25 Tryptophan 0.47 0.06

Example 5

[0054] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1. The hydrolysed material was 3 kg of an animal by-product category 3 (poultry meal).

[0055] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00006 Time. Current. Temperature. Pressure. hr: min A C. barg Notes 00:00 38.1 0.00 00:01 38.6 33 0.00 00:02 39.1 36 0.00 00:03 39.3 40 0.00 00:04 39.0 42 0.00 00:05 39.0 43 0.00 00:06 39.4 48 0.00 00:07 39.5 50 0.00 00:08 39.5 52 0.00 00:09 39.5 54 0.00 00:10 39.8 56 0.00 00:11 39.9 60 0.00 00:13 40.0 65 0.00 00:14 40.0 66 0.00 00:15 40.0 67 0.00 00:16 39.9 70 0.00 00:17 40.0 73 0.00 00:18 40.0 75 0.00 00:19 39.7 76 0.00 00:20 39.6 78 0.00 00:21 39.5 80 0.00 00:22 39.3 81 0.00 00:23 39.1 81 0.00 00:24 45.0 82 0.10 00:25 45.3 83 0.25 00:26 45.1 86 0.50 00:27 45.6 89 0.60 00:28 45.6 92 0.80 00:29 45.6 94 1.00 00:30 45.3 102 1.20 00:31 45.6 106 1.30 00:32 45.4 110 1.50 00:33 45.0 113 1.60 00:33 Sample #1 00:34 45.1 123 1.70 00:35 45.0 126 1.80 00:35 0.0 Stopped 00:36 46.4 126 1.70 00:37 45.7 127 1.90 00:38 45.3 129 2.00 00:39 45.0 130 2.00 00:39 Sample #2 00:40 46.2 130 2.00 00:41 44.6 132 2.20 00:42 44.7 136 2.60 00:43 44.7 138 2.80 00:44 44.8 140 3.00 00:44 0.0 Stopped 00:46 0.0 140 2.60 00:47 46.4 139 2.50 00:48 45.6 140 2.90 00:48 0.0 Sample #3 00:49 0.0 Sample # from bottom valve

[0056] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 110-230 KDa.

Example 6

[0057] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1. The hydrolysed material was 1.5 kg of a dried feather meal that was mixed with water in 1:1 ratio.

[0058] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00007 Time, hr: Current, Temperature, Pressure, min A C. barg Notes 00:00 29.0 30 0.00 00:01 36.0 36 0.00 00:02 37.7 40 0.00 00:03 42.3 50 0.00 00:04 42.0 58 0.00 00:05 40.7 70 0.00 00:06 40.2 79 0.30 00:07 40.5 83 0.60 00:08 40.5 90 1.00 00:09 40.2 95 1.30 00:10 39.7 108 1.60 00:11 0.0 Stopped 00:12 0.0 116 1.50 00:13 0.0 120 1.30 00:14 0.0 121 1.20 00:15 0.0 00:16 0.0 00:17 Started 00:18 34.0 118 1.10 00:19 33.3 120 1.30 00:20 33.2 125 1.60 00:21 33.3 128 1.90 00:22 33.4 131 2.10 00:23 33.8 134 2.50 00:24 34.1 138 2.80 00:25 34.1 140 3.00 00:26 35.0 140 3.10 Stopped 00:27 35.0 141 3.20 00:28 35.1 144 3.60 00:29 35.5 146 3.80 00:30 35.6 148 3.95 00:31 37.2 149 4.00 Stopped 00:32 36.3 150 4.00 Sample taken

[0059] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 120-260 KDa

Example 7

[0060] The hydrolysis was carried out as in the example 1. The hydrolysed material was 3 kg of a wet feather meal.

[0061] The process parameters are listed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00008 Time, Current, Temperature, Pressure, hr:min A C. barg Notes 00:00 30.8 0.00 00:02 32.8 33 0.00 00:03 35.0 42 0.00 00:06 36.8 51 0.00 00:12 38.1 76 1.00 00:13 38.5 79 1.00 00:14 38.4 81 1.10 00:15 38.9 91 1.50 00:17 39.1 97 1.70 00:18 39.3 103 2.00 00:19 39.4 105 2.00 00:21 39.9 115 2.40 00:25 40.0 131 3.00 00:27 39.6 137 3.50 00:28 40.0 140 3.70 00:29 39.8 146 3.80 00:29 0.0 Stopped 00:31 41.1 144 3.50 00:32 40.4 145 3.90 00:33 40.2 147 4.10 00:34 40.5 150 4.10 00:34 0.0 Stopped 00:39 40.9 140 3.10 00:40 53.8 142 3.60 Current settings changed 00:41 53.6 145 3.80 00:42 54.7 147 4.10 00:42 54.5 150 4.40 00:42 0.0 Stopped 00:42 55.1 151 4.00 01:03 55.4 152 4.50

[0062] The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The collected hydrolysate was separated from the sediment by gravity separation. The analysis showed that hydrolysate contains peptides with molecular mass in the range of 40-180 KDa.