Plant-Derived Proteins Preparation and Purification

In addition to their nutritional and physiological roles, proteins are the main compounds responsible for the rheological properties of food products and their stability during manufacturing and storage. In addition, proteins have been shown to be a source of bioactive peptides capable of exerting beneficial effects on human health. The growing awareness of the relevance of quality protein in the diet has encouraged researchers and nutritionists to look for environmentally friendly and sustainable protein sources. This can be achieved by replacing animal proteins with alternative plant sources, developing appropriate technologies for cost-effective extraction, and adding foods as dietary supplements. Recently, proteins from plant sources have been increasingly used as multifaceted and economical alternatives to animal proteins in the human diet. Animal proteins are expensive, in limited supply, directly linked to freshwater depletion, climate change, biodiversity loss, and often associated with human diseases. Plant proteins can provide good health/nutrition and are recommended for various diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

Fig. 1. Advances in plant protein extraction. (Kumar et al., 2021)

Our Solutions

Due to the presence of a cell wall structure in plant cells, the extraction of proteins is relatively more complex than animal cell proteins. The most important stage in utilizing plant proteins is using appropriate extraction techniques based on the plant matrix. Lifeasible provides specialized solutions for the complete extraction and isolation of proteins to ensure that the full potential of plant proteins is realized.

We offer a variety of techniques to prepare and purify plant proteins. We will select the optimal technology or combination depending on the nature of the plant-sourced protein. We aim to extract high-purity proteins with interesting properties from plant sources at high concentrations.

Plant Protein Extraction Solutions

• Chemical Extraction Techniques
  Depending on the plant matrix, we can use a variety of solvents such as acids, bases, salts, organic solvents, subcritical water, as well as food-grade low eutectic solvents (DES) for degreasing and/or solubilizing proteins. In addition, we use organic solvents such as ethanol, butanol, and acetone to extract proteins containing non-polar, hydrophobic, and/or aromatic amino acid residues.
• Enzyme-assisted Extraction Techniques
  To achieve higher purity and optimize extraction conditions, enzyme-assisted extraction has been incorporated into our protocols, including pectinases, glycases, and proteases. By targeting the major components of the cell wall (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin), enzymes facilitate the release of cellular proteins, thereby increasing yields. This method increases protein yields and ensures that the extracted proteins maintain their natural structure and function.
• Novel assisted Cell Fragmentation Technologies
  Lifeasible offers novel assisted cell fragmentation technologies for extracting and modifying plant proteins, including microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, pulsed electric field and high-pressure discharge extraction, and high hydrostatic pressure-assisted extraction. As green technologies, these are energy efficient, easy to install, minimize environmental impact, and have low maintenance costs. In addition, they require low investment and shorter extraction times, thereby reducing processing time and associated costs.

Plant Proteins Graded Separation Solutions

After the extraction of plant proteins, we offer plant protein fractionation solutions to purify the proteins and separate them from the extraction solvent. We use isoelectric precipitation, ultrafiltration and/or diafiltration, micellar precipitation, and dialysis, wet extraction and fractionation, and chromatographic techniques to obtain highly concentrated plant protein isolates. We ensure that the proteins obtained are structurally and functionally intact. It is useful to isolate different plant protein grades for specific applications or to obtain grade-rich protein compositions that can be adapted to have different grade ratios for the target technological function.

The versatility of our methodologies ensures that regardless of the plant source or the intended application, Lifeasible is equipped to provide proteins of unparalleled purity and functionality. We remain committed to driving innovation in the field of plant-derived proteins, and we are committed to promoting the economical, sustainable, and efficient extraction of intact and functional plant proteins. Please contact us for the best preparation and purification solutions of plant-derived proteins.