Extraction and Separation of Plant-Based Meat Proteins

Plant-based meat producers strive to transform raw materials into products replicating the cookability and organoleptic properties of reconstituted or whole muscle conventional meats. Plant-based proteins are the main components of plant-based meats and have a wide range of functions. Plant-based proteins offer a promising solution to our nutritional needs because they have a long history of crop use and cultivation, are relatively inexpensive to produce, and are readily available in many parts of the world. However, the relatively poor functionality of plant proteins, defined as poor solubility, foaming, emulsification, and gelling properties, limits their use in food products. Therefore, there is an urgent need for advances in developing plant protein compositions and technologies to construct plant-based meats.

Fig.1. A roadmap to accelerate plant protein science and technology, focusing on plant protein ingredient development and future food creation. (Sim SYJ, et al., 2021)

Solutions

To realize the full potential of plant-based proteins in plant-based meat, complete extraction and separation of proteins are necessary. Our team of experts develops new and novel methods for the extraction and isolation of plant-based proteins. It seeks different strategies depending on the wide range of plant-based protein sources. Lifeasible is a leading partner for extracting and isolating plant-based proteins in the plant-based meat industry. Our goal is to provide you with affordable and sustainable plant-based protein extraction and isolation strategies that do not compromise the functional and nutritional properties of the proteins.

Extraction of Plant-Based Meat Proteins

(1) Plant disruption. Depending on the source material, we offer different methods to disrupt the plant. For example, mechanical dehulling and milling are used to disrupt plant seeds, while high-shear mixing is more suitable for grasses.

(2) Optimization of plant protein extraction. We provide food-grade low eutectic solvent (DES) as a green and mild solvent to extract plant-based proteins to increase the extracted protein content. In addition, we offer a variety of technologies to improve the extraction efficiency of plant-based proteins.

❖ Physical techniques: ultrasonic, pulsed electric field, microwave, high pressure.

❖ Enzymatic techniques: pectinase, glycosaminidase, and protease.

❖ Supercritical fluid extraction technology: removal of lipids and polyphenols bound to plant-based proteins.

Separation of Plant-Based Meat Proteins

❖ Isoelectric point precipitation technique. We take advantage of the aggregation of globular proteins at their isoelectric point, which can be separated by decantation and centrifugation.

❖ Ultrafiltration and/or Diafiltration. We work closely with engineers to develop novel membrane materials to separate specific plant protein fractions, including albumin, without sacrificing protein concentration and functionality.

❖ Salt extraction. We offer this method to separate globulins without needing extreme pH or high-temperature conditions.

❖ Dry fractionation methods. We offer air classification and electrostatic separation techniques to obtain concentrates rich in plant-based proteins by exploiting density and particle size differences between proteins and other components.

❖ Supercritical antisolvent fractionation.

Advantages of Our Solutions

• Efficient and economic strategies for the extraction and separation of plant-based proteins.
• Customized solutions to execute the most appropriate process depending on the source.
• Energy efficient and environmentally friendly solvents.
• Ensure the structural integrity and functionality of the obtained plant-based proteins.
• Simple experimental process and one-stop service.

Extraction and isolation of intact plant-based proteins are essential for healthy plant-based meat production. Lifeasible has cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art methods, and innovative solutions. We guarantee to provide you with the most professional solutions for extracting and isolating plant-based meat proteins at competitive prices, with short turnaround times and reliable results. Feel free to contact us for more information.