Method for providing a proteinaceous composition without pH adjustment
A protein-rich composition can be provided from egg albumen via a process that involves diafiltering with purified water an egg albumen concentrate. Collected retentate from the diafiltration step constitutes a protein-rich composition which, on a dry basis, can include less than 1% (w/w) lipids. The composition can be spray dried to a protein isolate solid which is substantially free of sugars.
1. A method for providing a protein isolate powder from egg albumen, said method comprising:
a) removing at least 25 percent volume (% (v/v)) of water from said egg albumen to provide an albumen concentrate, said albumen concentrate having a protein content of at least 20 percent mass (% (w/w));
b) diafiltering said albumen concentrate with purified water until the filtrate exhibits an electrical conductance of no more than 5 millisiemens (mS), said diafiltering being performed with an ultrafiltration membrane having a nominal molecular weight cutoff of 10±2.5 kilodaltons (kDa);
c) collecting retentate from said diafiltering step so as to provide a protein-rich composition that comprises, on a dry basis, less than 0.5% (w/w) lipids and that is substantially free of sugars; and
d) spray drying said protein-rich composition so as to provide said protein isolate powder,
wherein the albumen concentrate and the protein-rich composition are not pH-adjusted prior to drying to provide the protein isolate powder.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said albumen concentrate is provided by removing at least 33% (v/v) of water in said egg albumen.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said retentate is collected after the filtrate in said diafiltering step exhibits an electrical conductance of no more than 3 mS.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said protein-rich composition comprises, on a dry basis, less than 0.1% (w/w) lipids.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the water to provide said albumen concentrate in step (a) includes performing reverse osmosis.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protein-rich composition that is substantially free of sugars is provided without the use of fermentative organisms or enzymatic de-sugaring agents.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pasteurizing the protein isolate powder, instantizing the protein isolate powder, or a combination thereof.
8. A process for providing a protein isolate powder from egg albumen, said process comprising:
a) using reverse osmosis, removing at least 25% (v/v) of water from said egg albumen to provide an albumen concentrate which has a protein content of at least 20% (w/w);
b) diafiltering said albumen concentrate with purified water until the filtrate exhibits an electrical conductance of no more than 3 mS, said diafiltering being performed with an ultra-filtration membrane having a nominal molecular weight cutoff of 10±2.5 kDa;
c) collecting retentate from said diafiltering step so as to provide a protein-rich composition that comprises, on a dry basis, less than 0.1% (w/w) lipids and that is substantially free of sugars; and
d) spray drying said protein-rich composition so as to provide said protein isolate powder,
wherein the albumen concentrate and the protein-rich composition are not pH-adjusted prior to spray drying to provide the protein isolate powder.
9. The process of claim 8 , wherein said albumen concentrate is provided by removing at least 33% (v/v) of water in said egg albumen.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising pasteurizing the protein isolate powder, instantizing the protein isolate powder, or a combination thereof.
11. A method for providing a protein isolate powder from egg albumen comprising:
a) removing greater than or equal to 25% by volume of water from the egg albumen to provide an albumen concentrate having a protein content of greater than or equal to 20% by mass;
b) diafiltering the albumen concentrate with purified water until the filtrate exhibits an electrical conductance of less than or equal to 5 millisiemens (mS);
c) collecting retentate from the diafiltering step to provide a protein-rich composition comprising, on a dry basis, less than 0.5% by mass lipids; and
d) spray drying the protein-rich composition to provide the protein isolate powder,
wherein the albumen concentrate and the protein-rich composition are not pH-adjusted prior to spray drying to provide the protein isolate powder.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising pasteurizing and/or instantizing the protein isolate powder.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein reverse osmosis is used to remove the water to provide the albumen concentrate.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein greater than or equal to 33% by volume of water is removed from the egg albumen to provide an albumen concentrate.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein greater than or equal to 40% by volume of water is removed from the egg albumen to provide an albumen concentrate.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein an ultra-filtration membrane having a nominal molecular weight cutoff of 10±2.5 kDa is used for diafiltering the albumen concentrate.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the albumen concentrate is diafiltered with purified water until the filtrate exhibits an electrical conductance of less than or equal to 3 mS.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protein-rich composition comprises, on a dry basis, less than 0.1% (w/w) lipids.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protein-rich composition is substantially free of sugars.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the protein-rich composition that is substantially free of sugars is provided without the use of fermentative organisms or enzymatic de-sugaring agents.