Preparation of Sunflower Protein Products ("SF870")

A process for preparing a sunflower protein product from a sunflower protein source, the sunflower protein product having a protein content of greater than 60 wt % (N×6.25) d.b, the process comprising

• h) extracting sunflower protein from a sunflower protein source to cause solubilization of the sunflower protein from the sunflower protein source to produce an aqueous phase and a residual sunflower protein source;
• i) separating the aqueous phase from the residual sunflower protein source, optionally by centrifugation, optionally with a decanter centrifuge and a disc stack centrifuge, to produce an aqueous sunflower protein solution and a separated residual sunflower protein source
• j) optionally defatting the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution to at least partially remove fat from the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• k) optionally adjusting the pH of the aqueous sunflower protein solution to a higher value not exceeding about pH 8.0;
• l) optionally concentrating the aqueous sunflower protein solution to provide a concentrated sunflower protein solution having a protein concentration of about 5 to about 30 wt %, preferably about 5 to about 20 wt %, more preferably about 10 to about 20 wt %;
• m) optionally diafiltering the concentrated sunflower protein solution using water as the diafiltration solution OR diafiltering the aqueous sunflower protein solution prior to concentration or diafiltering the partially concentrated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• n) optionally drying the sunflower protein solution or optionally concentrated and/or diafiltered sunflower protein solution, optionally by any conventional means such as spray drying or freeze drying, to provide a sunflower protein product;
• wherein steps e) and f) may optionally be carried out simultaneously.

A sunflower product having:

• a solubility of about 9.5 to about 17.6% when measured at pH 4, about 4.9 to about 14.7% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 22.4 to about 36.8% when measured at pH 7;
• or a solubility of less than about 70% when measured at pH 4, less than about 25% when measured at pH 5.5 and greater than about 50% when measured at pH 7, preferably about 0.8 to about 67.5% when measured at pH 4, about 6.6 to about 19.9% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 53.7 to about 97.8% when measured at pH 7 and optionally a solubility of about 46.3 to about 67.5% when measured at pH 4, about 10.4 to about 19.9% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 53.7 to about 97.8% when measured at pH 7;
• an amino acid profile for cysteine and methionine as defined in Table 8;
• and/or an amino acid profile for threonine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, cysteine, methionine and tryptophan as defined in Table 8;
• a phytic acid content of less than about 1.5% d . . . b., preferably less than about 0.97% d.b.;
• a chlorogenic acid content of less than about 10,000 ppm d.b., preferably less than about 9,518 ppm d.b., optionally less than about 565 ppm d.b., optionally wherein the chlorogenic acid content is between about 179 to about 565 ppm d.b.;
• an ash content of 3% d.b. or less, preferably about 2.75% d.b. or less;
• a sodium content of less than about 0.4% d.b., preferably less than about 0.19% d.b.;
• or
• a HPLC profile as determined by the method in Example 32, wherein the peak having the largest peak area with a retention time of less than 10 minutes has a retention time of about 6.253 to about 6.699 minutes and a peak area of about 2,716,517 to about 4,901,552;
• and/or which is optionally derived from confectionery or non-oilseed or black oil or oilseed or conoil sunflower seed or which is optionally derived from dehulled sunflower seed, or which is optionally derived from a partially or fully defatted sunflower protein source;
• or any combination thereof.

A sunflower protein product or a residual sunflower protein product having an attribute from one or more of the following tables:

• a protein content as defined in or captured by Table 2;
• a solubility as defined in or captured by Table 3,
• a dry colour as defined in or captured by Table 4;
• a water binding capacity as defined or captured by Table 5;
• an oil binding capacity as defined in or captured by Table 6;
• a phytic acid content as defined in or captured by Table 7;
• an amino acid profile comprising one or more amino acids as defined or captured by Table 8;
• a chlorogenic acid content as defined or captured by Table 9;
• an acid hydrolysis fat content as defined or captured by Table 10;
• an ash content as defined or captured by Table 11;
• a viscosity as defined or captured by Table 12;
• an emulsion absorbance reading as defined or captured by Table 13
• a sodium content as defined or captured by Table 19;
• and/or
• an HPLC profile as defined or captured by Table 20.

A pet food, animal feed, industrial product, cosmetic product or personal care product comprising a sunflower protein product having a protein content of greater than 60 wt % (N×6.25) d.b. and produced by a process comprising

• a) extracting sunflower protein from a sunflower protein source to cause solubilization of the sunflower protein from the sunflower protein source to produce an aqueous phase and a residual sunflower protein source;
• b) separating the aqueous phase from the residual sunflower protein source to produce an aqueous sunflower protein solution and a separated residual sunflower protein source
• c) optionally defatting the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution to at least partially remove fat from the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• d) optionally adjusting the pH of the aqueous sunflower protein solution to a higher value not exceeding about pH 8.0;
• e) optionally concentrating the aqueous sunflower protein solution to provide a concentrated sunflower protein solution having a protein concentration of about 5 to about 30 wt %, preferably about 5 to about 20 wt %, more preferably about 10 to about 20 wt %;
• f) optionally diafiltering the concentrated sunflower protein solution using water as the diafiltration solution OR diafiltering the aqueous sunflower protein solution prior to concentration or diafiltering the partially concentrated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• g) optionally drying the sunflower protein solution or optionally concentrated and/or diafiltered sunflower protein solution, optionally by any conventional means such as spray drying or freeze drying, to provide a sunflower protein product;
• wherein steps e) and f) may optionally be carried out simultaneously,
• and/or,
• a sunflower protein product having a solubility of less than about 70% when measured at pH 4, less than about 25% when measured at pH 5.5 and greater than about 50% when measured at pH 7, preferably about 0.8 to about 67.5% when measured at pH 4, about 6.6 to about 19.9% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 53.7 to about 97.8% when measured at pH 7, or a residual sunflower protein product comprising a protein content of less than about 55% (N×6.25) d.b., preferably about 20.04 to about 46.36% (N×6.25) d.b., or
• a sunflower protein product having a solubility of about 9.5 to about 17.6% when measured at pH 4, about 4.9 to about 14.7% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 22.4 to about 36.8% when measured at pH 7.

A food or beverage comprising:

• a sunflower protein product having a protein content of greater than 60 wt % (N×6.25) d.b, and produced by a process comprising
• h) extracting sunflower protein from a sunflower protein source to cause solubilization of the sunflower protein from the sunflower protein source to produce an aqueous phase and a residual sunflower protein source;
• i) separating the aqueous phase from the residual sunflower protein source to produce an aqueous sunflower protein solution and a separated residual sunflower protein source
• j) optionally defatting the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution to at least partially remove fat from the separated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• k) optionally adjusting the pH of the aqueous sunflower protein solution to a higher value not exceeding about pH 8.0;
• l) optionally concentrating the aqueous sunflower protein solution to provide a concentrated sunflower protein solution having a protein concentration of about 5 to about 30 wt %, preferably about 5 to about 20 wt %, more preferably about 10 to about 20 wt %;
• m) optionally diafiltering the concentrated sunflower protein solution using water as the diafiltration solution OR diafiltering the aqueous sunflower protein solution prior to concentration or diafiltering the partially concentrated aqueous sunflower protein solution;
• n) optionally drying the sunflower protein solution or optionally concentrated and/or diafiltered sunflower protein solution, optionally by any conventional means such as spray drying or freeze drying, to provide a sunflower protein product;
• wherein steps e) and f) may optionally be carried out simultaneously, and/or
• a sunflower protein product having a solubility of less than about 70% when measured at pH 4, less than about 25% when measured at pH 5.5 and greater than about 50% when measured at pH 7, preferably about 0.8 to about 67.5% when measured at pH 4, about 6.6 to about 19.9% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 53.7 to about 97.8% when measured at pH, or
• a residual sunflower protein product comprising a protein content of less than about 55% (N×6.25) d.b., preferably about 20.04 to about 46.36% (N×6.25) d.b., or
• a sunflower protein product having a solubility of about 9.5 to about 17.6% when measured at pH 4, about 4.9 to about 14.7% when measured at pH 5.5 and about 22.4 to about 36.8% when measured at pH 7;
• wherein optionally the food or beverage is:
• i) a dairy alternative,
• j) a meat alternative,
• k) a seafood alternative,
• l) a grain product,
• m) a snack or sweet,
• n) a fats and oils product,
• o) a condiment or sauce, or
• p) a nutritional product,
• q) a sports drink;
• r) an energy drink;
• or
• s) a smoothie.