# US 4,391,839 A · Method of modifying the conformation of food and feed proteins

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- Number: US 4,391,839 A
- Document ID: US4391839A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/247,645
- Filed: 1981-03-26
- Granted: 1983-07-05
- Earliest claimed: 1979-12-21
- Assignees: MTA Szegedi Biologiai Kozpont Enzimologiai Intezete
- Inventors: Tibor Devenyi; Klara K. Bocsa; Ferenc Kovats; Sandor Pongor; Gertrud Szabolcsi; Mihaly Such
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391839A

## CPC

- A23J 3/14: Vegetable proteins
- A23J 3/16: from soybean
- A23J 3/18: from wheat
- A23K 10/30: from material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms (obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes, e.g. using yeasts or enzymes, A23K10/10)
- A23K 40/00: Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
- A23L 7/152: Cereal germ products
- A23L 11/07: {Soya beans, e.g. oil-extracted soya bean flakes (A23L11/30 takes precedence)}
- Y10S 426/807: Poultry or ruminant feed
- A23J: PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS
- A23K: FODDER
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for modifying the conformation of plant proteins for increasing their biological utilization, which comprises treating said plant protein with gaseous hydrogen chloride to adjust its pH to a value between 1.6 and 2.4, as measured in a 20% by weight aqueous suspension, for a period sufficient to increase the digestibility of said protein without bringing the protein into solution or suspension, and thereafter bringing the pH of said protein to a value between 4 and 7 with an alkalizing agent, wherein the moisture content of said protein is increased with the alkalizing agent at most to 50% by weight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of modifying the conformation of plant proteins of cereal, vegetable or oil-seed origin for increasing their biological utilization, which consists essentially of:
(a) treating said plant protein in dry form with agitation in gaseous hydrogen chloride for a period of about 1 to 1.5 minutes sufficient to increase the digestibility of said plant protein without bringing the protein into solution or suspension, said gaseous hydrogen chloride lowers the pH to a value between 1.7 and 2.3 as measured in a 20% w/v aqueous suspension; and
(b) raising the pH of said plant protein to a value between 4 and 7 by adding calcium hydroxide, so that the moisture content of said plant protein is increased up to 50% by weight.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method defined in claim 1, step (a), in which the pH of the plant protein is adjusted to a value between 1.8 and 2.2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method defined in claim 1, wherein the cereal protein is selected from the group consisting of wheat, barley and separated fractions thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method defined in claim 1, wherein the vegetable protein is selected from the group consisting of soybean, lupine, pea and separated fractions thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method defined in claim 1, wherein the oil seed-protein is sunflower or separated fractions thereof.