Protein concentrates and isolates, and processes for the production thereof

1. A protein concentrate having an insoluble protein content of at least 60% and less than 90% protein comprising, based on sedimentation coefficient distributions:

i) between 30% and 70% 2S protein; and

ii) between 20% and 50% 12S protein, the balance being non-protein impurities.

2. The protein concentrate according to claim 1 , comprising between 45% and 55% 2S protein and between 35% and 40% 12S protein.

3. A protein isolate having a soluble protein content of at least 90% protein comprising, based on sedimentation coefficient distributions:

i) between 10% and 40% 2S protein; and

ii) between 30% and 70% 12S protein the balance being non-protein impurities.

4. The protein isolate according to claim 3 , comprising between 15% and 30% 2S protein between 50% and 60% 12 S protein.

5. A process for the production of a protein concentrate and protein isolate from seed meals selected from the group consisting of canola seed meal and rape seed meal, said meal comprising fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein, said process providing the fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein as three discrete fractions comprising:

i) mixing the seed meal with a solvent consisting essentially of water to form a mixture;

ii) treating the mixture with phytase at a temperature and a pH suitable for phytase activity;

iii) adjusting the pH of the mixture to a pH between 6.0 and 10.0;

iv) subjecting the mixture to centrifugal forces with to a g-force selected to separate the mixture into two fractions, comprising:

a) a fiber fraction containing substantially all of the fiber in said oil seed meal, and

b) a protein fraction substantially free of fiber, the protein fraction comprising substantially all of the insoluble and soluble protein;

v) separating the fiber fraction from the protein fraction and optionally mixing the fiber fraction with a solvent consisting essentially of water and repeating step iv) so as to separate additional protein from the fiber fraction, to provide the fiber fraction substantially free of protein;

vi) adjusting the pH of the protein fraction to a pH between 4.0 and 6.0;

vii) optionally heating the protein fraction to a temperature between 80° C. and 100° C. to precipitate insoluble proteins; and

viii) separating the insoluble proteins from the soluble protein so as to provide an insoluble protein fraction and a soluble protein fraction, the insoluble protein fraction constituting the protein concentrate and the soluble protein fraction constituting the isolate.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the ratio of the seed meal to the solvent is 1:3 to 1:30 (w/w) of meal to water.

7. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the phytase is added in an amount between 0.01% to 0.1% (w/w) based on the weight of the seed meal.

8. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the temperature suitable for phytase activity is between 20° and 60° C.

9. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the pH suitable for phytase activity is between 2.0 and 7.0.

10. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 100 g and 500 g.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 150 g and 400 g.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 180 g and 350 g.

13. The process according to claim 5 , wherein applying centrifugal forces comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

14. The process according to claim 13 , comprising using a decanter centrifuge or a disc stack centrifuge.

15. The process according to claim 5 , wherein separating the proteins comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein centrifuging the proteins comprises a g-force between 2,500 g and 9,500 g.

17. The process according to claim 5 , further comprising the step of drying the protein concentrate to a moisture of between 4% and 8% (w/w).

18. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the protein concentrate also comprises peptides and free amino acids.

19. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the protein concentrate is additionally hydrolyzed to produce peptides and free amino acids.

20. A process for the production of a protein concentrate from a seed meal, said seed meal selected from the group consisting of canola seed meal and rape seed meal, said seed meal comprising fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein, said process providing the fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein as three discrete fractions comprising:

i) mixing the seed meal with a solvent consisting essentially of water to form a mixture;

ii) treating the mixture with phytase at a temperature and a pH suitable for phytase activity;

iii) optionally adjusting the pH of the mixture to a pH between 6.0 and 10.0;

iv) subjecting the mixture to a g-force selected to separate the mixture into two fractions comprising

a) a fiber fraction containing substantially all of the fiber in said oil seed meal, and

b) a protein fraction comprising substantially all of the insoluble protein and soluble protein;

v) separating the fiber fraction from the protein fraction and mixing the fiber fraction with a solvent consisting essentially of water and repeating step iv) so as to separate an additional protein fraction from the fiber fraction;

vi) optionally adjusting the pH of the protein fraction to a pH between 4.0 and 6.0;

vii) mixing the protein fraction and the additional protein fraction with a solvent consisting essentially of water to form a protein slurry and to precipitate the insoluble proteins so as to provide an insoluble protein fraction and a soluble protein fraction;

viii) separating the precipitated proteins from the protein slurry said precipitated protein comprising the insoluble protein fraction constituting the protein concentrate; and

ix) optionally repeating steps vii) and viii) with the precipitated proteins.

21. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the ratio of the seed meal to the solvent is 1:3 to 1:30 (w/w) of meal to water.

22. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the phytase is added in an amount between 0.01% and 0.1% (w/w) based on the weight of the seed meal.

23. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the temperature suitable for phytase activity is between 20° and 60° C.

24. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the pH suitable for phytase activity is between 2.0 and 7.0.

25. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 100 g and 500 g.

26. The process according to claim 25 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 150 g and 400 g.

27. The process according to claim 26 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 180 g and 350 g.

28. The process according to claim 24 , wherein separating the mixture comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

29. The process according to claim 28 , wherein the centrifuge comprises a decanter centrifuge or a disc stack centrifuge.

30. The process according to claim 20 , wherein separating the precipitated proteins comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

31. The process according to claim 30 , wherein centrifuging the precipitated proteins comprises a g-force between 2,500 g and 9,500 g.

32. The process according to claim 20 , wherein steps vii) and viii) are repeated at least twice.

33. The process according to claim 20 , further comprising the step of drying the protein concentrate to a moisture of between 4% and 8% (w/w).

34. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the protein concentrate also contains peptides and amino acids.

35. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the protein concentrate is hydrolyzed to produce peptides and free amino acids.

36. A process for the production of a protein isolate from a seed meal selected from the group consisting of canola seed meal and rape seed meal, said seed meal comprising fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein said process providing the fiber, soluble protein and insoluble protein as three discrete fractions comprising:

i) mixing the seed meal with a solvent consisting essentially of water to form a mixture;

ii) treating the mixture with phytase at a temperature and a pH suitable for phytase activity;

iii) adjusting the pH of the mixture to a pH between 6.0 and 10.0;

iv) subjecting the mixture to a g-force selected to separate the mixture into two fractions, namely

a) a fiber fraction, and

b) a protein fraction comprising the insoluble protein and the soluble protein;

v) separating the fiber fraction from the protein fraction and mixing the fiber fraction with a solvent consisting essentially of water and repeating step iv) so as to separate an additional protein fraction from the fiber fraction;

vi) separating the insoluble protein from the soluble protein to recover therefrom the insoluble protein and the soluble protein so as to provide an insoluble protein fraction and a soluble protein fraction; and

vii) subjecting the soluble protein fraction to filtration to recover therefrom a filtrate containing the soluble protein, said filtrate comprising the protein isolate.

37. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the ratio of the seed meal to the first blending solvent is 1:3 to 1:30 (w/w) of meal to water.

38. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the phytase is added in an amount between 0.01% to 0.1% (w/w) based on the weight of the seed meal.

39. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the temperature suitable for enzymatic activity is between 20° and 60° C.

40. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the pH suitable for enzymatic activity is between 2.0 and 7.0.

41. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 100 g and 500 g.

42. The process according to claim 41 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 150 g and 350 g.

43. The process according to claim 42 , wherein the mixture is subjected to a g-force of between 180 g and 350 g.

44. The process according to claim 36 , wherein separating the mixture comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

45. The process according to claim 44 , wherein the centrifuge comprises a decanter centrifuge or a disc stack centrifuge.

46. The process according to claim 45 , wherein separating the insoluble protein fraction from the soluble protein fraction comprises using a centrifuge or a hydrocyclone.

47. The process according to claim 46 , wherein separating the insoluble fiber fraction from the soluble fiber fraction comprises applying a g-force between 2,500 g and 9,500 g.

48. The process according to claim 36 , further comprising the step of drying the protein isolate to a moisture of between 4% and 8% (w/w).

49. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the protein isolate also comprises peptides and amino acids.

50. The process according to claim 36 , wherein the protein isolate is hydrolyzed to produce peptides and free amino acids.