Sunflower seed protein concentrate for food applications and method of manufacturing the same

A process for producing a protein concentrate from sunflower seed, comprising the steps of:

• a) pressing oilseed to form a sunflower seed press cake;
• b) de-oiling said sunflower press cake by mixing said sunflower seed press cake with an alcohol and removing the alcohol from a solid de-oiled sunflower seed meal;
• c) extracting said de-oiled sunflower seed meal at a pH ranging from 3 to 6 with a first solution comprising an alcohol diluted with water to obtain a first extracted solid and removing said first solution from said first extracted solid;
• d) extracting said first extracted solid with a second solution comprising, or consisting essentially of, an alcohol and an alkali, to obtain a second extracted solid and removing said second solution from said second extracted solid to obtain a sunflower seed protein concentrate;
• e) extracting said second extracted solid with an alcohol;
• and
• f) recovering said sunflower seed protein concentrate.