Sunflower seed protein: defatting, structural characterization and property analysis

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Protein Chemistry
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Sunflower seed protein utilization in food is limited by preparation methods and purity.
• Optimizing extraction is key for functional food ingredient development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate green extraction methods for sunflower seed protein.
• To compare functional and structural properties of proteins at different purity levels (meal, concentrate, isolate).

Main Methods:

• Sunflower seed press cake defatting using subcritical butane, isopropyl alcohol, and n-hexane.
• Analysis of protein yield, color, structure, denaturation temperature, solubility, emulsification stability, oil holding capacity, gel properties, and water holding capacity.

Main Results:

• Subcritical butane and isopropyl alcohol yielded higher protein extraction and better functional properties compared to n-hexane.
• Protein isolate showed excellent solubility and emulsification stability.
• Protein concentrate demonstrated superior gel and water holding capacities.

Conclusions:

• Green extraction methods offer efficient and sustainable routes for producing sunflower seed proteins with tailored functionalities.
• Optimized protein purity levels (isolate, concentrate) enhance specific food applications.