# US 11,304,435 B2 · Methods for making plant protein concentrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,435 B2 - Document ID: US11304435B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/171,855 - Filed: 2018-10-26 - Published: 2019-07-18 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-15 - Assignees: Innovative Proteins Holding, LLC - Applicants: Innovative Proteins Holding, LLC - Inventors: Seth A. Foster; Tim G. Foster; Donald L. Crank - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304435B2 ## CPC - A23L 33/40: {Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula} - A23C 9/123: using only microorganisms of the genus lactobacteriaceae; Yoghurt (A23C9/13 takes precedence) - A23C 11/106: {Addition of, or treatment with, microorganisms (A23C20/025 takes precedence)} - A23J 1/14: from leguminous or other vegetable seeds; from press-cake or oil-bearing seeds - A23J 1/148: {by treatment involving enzymes or microorganisms (enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins A23J3/34)} - A23J 3/14: Vegetable proteins - A23L 2/66: Proteins - A23L 11/60: Drinks from legumes, e.g. lupine drinks - A23L 29/00: Foods or foodstuffs containing additives (containing additives for modifying the nutritive qualities A23L33/10; containing substantially indigestive additives, e.g. dietary fibres, A23L33/21; containing additives for preservation A23B); Preparation or treatment thereof - A23L 33/185: Vegetable proteins - A23L 33/19: Dairy proteins - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00) - A23J: PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract Methods of making food-grade plant protein compositions, including yellow pea protein compositions, are provided. The methods use pulses, such as yellow peas, and flours derived therefrom. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making a plant protein composition, the method comprising: (a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising hydrolyzed water-soluble and water-insoluble pulse proteins; (b) removing the water-insoluble pulse proteins and other water-insoluble components from the aqueous slurry to provide a water-soluble, protein-rich liquid fraction comprising both hydrolyzed globulin proteins and hydrolyzed albumin proteins; (c) separating water-soluble pulse proteins in the protein-rich liquid fraction from water-soluble lower molecular weight peptides and water-soluble non-proteins in the protein-rich liquid fraction via ultrafiltration using an ultrafiltration membrane that concentrates hydrolyzed globulin proteins and hydrolyzed albumin proteins in a protein-rich retentate; and (d) removing water from the protein-rich retentate to provide a dry plant protein composition having a pulse protein concentration of at least 70%, based on a dry weight basis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the water-soluble pulse proteins in the aqueous slurry and in the dry plant protein composition have a degree of hydrolysis of greater than zero percent and less than 15 percent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the water-soluble pulse proteins in the aqueous slurry have a degree of hydrolysis of greater than 1 percent, but no greater than 12 percent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises from 5 wt. % to 12 wt. % pulse particles, the pulse particles having a maximum particle size of less than 200 microns; and the water-soluble, protein-rich liquid fraction has an insoluble solids content of no greater than 2.0 vol. %. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the aqueous slurry comprising the hydrolyzed water-soluble and water-insoluble pulse proteins comprises conducting an alkaline proteolytic extraction and hydrolysis on an aqueous slurry of pulse particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrafiltration membrane has a molecular weight cutoff of 5 kDa or smaller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse proteins comprise yellow pea proteins and the plant protein comprises yellow pea protein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse proteins are selected from chickpea proteins, lentil proteins, fava bean proteins, and mung bean proteins and the plant protein is selected from chickpea protein, lentil protein, fava bean protein, and mung bean protein. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dry plant protein has a solubility of at least 95%. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an amylase carbohydrate reaction on the water-soluble, protein-rich liquid fraction after removing the water insoluble proteins and other water insoluble components from the aqueous slurry, but before separating the water-soluble proteins in the protein-rich liquid fraction from water-soluble lower molecular weight peptides and water-soluble non-proteins in the protein-rich liquid fraction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the water-soluble pulse proteins in the aqueous slurry have a degree of hydrolysis of greater than zero percent and less than 15 percent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the water-soluble pulse proteins in the aqueous slurry have a degree of hydrolysis of greater than 1 percent, but no greater than 12 percent. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises from 5 wt. % to 12 wt. % pulse particles, the pulse particles having a maximum particle size of less than 200 microns; and the water-soluble, protein-rich liquid fraction has an insoluble solids content of no greater than 2.0 vol. %. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the amylase carbohydrate reaction is carried out on the water-soluble, protein-rich liquid fraction at a pH in the range from 5.0 to 6.0 and results in the conversion of starch, dextrins, maltodextrins, and complex sugars into smaller fragments that pass through into a permeate fraction of the ultrafiltration process. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plant protein composition comprises legumin, vicilin, and convicilin proteins having molecular weights in the range from 20 kDa to 70 kDa and albumin proteins having molecular weights in the range from 1 kDa to 40 kDa. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dry plant protein composition has a pulse protein concentration of at least 80%, based on a dry weight basis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising heat-treating the protein-rich retentate to kill microorganisms, pathogens, or both. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adding the dry plant protein composition to a foodstuff. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adding the dry plant protein composition to a beverage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising mixing the dry plant protein composition with a coloring agent, a flavoring agent, a plant-based oil, vitamins, minerals, preservatives, or emulsifying agents.