Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
11:06
Comparison of Tobacco Host Cell Protein Removal Methods by Blanching Intact Plants or by Heat Treatment of Extracts
Published on: August 8, 2016
9.2K
How mechanical pre-treatment affects the extraction yield, nutritional, structural, and functional properties of leaf
Ram Prasad Bebartta1, Rachna Sehrawat1, Khalid Gul1
1Department of Food Process Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha 769008, India.
Food Chemistry
|June 4, 2025
Summary
Ball milling moringa leaves for 3 hours maximizes protein yield and improves functionality. This moderate treatment enhances plant protein extraction and quality for food ingredients.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Plant Biochemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Moringa leaves are a source of functional proteins.
- Protein extraction and functionality can be improved through structural modification.
- Ball milling (BM) is a potential method for altering protein structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of ball milling duration on moringa leaf protein concentrate (MLPC) properties.
- To determine the optimal ball milling conditions for enhancing protein extraction and functionality.
- To understand the structural changes in moringa leaf proteins induced by ball milling.
Main Methods:
- Moringa leaves were subjected to ball milling for varying durations.
- Protein yield, purity, digestibility, and structural characteristics (secondary structures, disulfide bonds) were analyzed.
- Physicochemical properties including denaturation temperature, enthalpy, surface hydrophobicity, particle size, solubility, water holding capacity, and foaming capacity were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Ball milling for 3 hours yielded the highest protein yield (180%) and improved digestibility.
- Extended milling (5 hours) increased extraction yield but decreased protein purity.
- Ball milling induced protein unfolding, reducing beta-sheet content and increasing random coil structures.
- Moderate milling (up to 3 hours) improved MLPC solubility and functional properties like water holding and foaming capacity.
- Correlation analysis revealed significant impacts of milling duration on amino acid composition and protein functional attributes.
Conclusions:
- Moderate ball milling (3 hours) is an effective pre-treatment for enhancing moringa leaf protein extraction and functionality.
- Ball milling modifies protein structure, leading to improved yield, digestibility, and functional properties.
- This scalable approach offers potential for producing high-quality plant-based protein ingredients from moringa leaves.
