Recycle process for the production of low-cost soluble collagen

A method for producing an aqueous solution of solubilized collagen comprising:

• a. providing an aqueous ground slurry of insoluble collagen;
• b. adjusting the water or solid content of said wet ground slurry whereby said insoluble collagen is at a concentration that promotes substantially maximum solubilized collagen concentration and molecular weight in a final product;
• c. adjusting the pH of said slurry from Step b to obtain activity for a proteolytic enzyme added in Step d;
• d. adding and mixing said proteolytic enzyme with said pH adjusted slurry;
• e. reacting the slurry of Step d and.backslash.or said recycled insoluble collagen of Step g at a temperature, T, and for a time, t, effective for forming a solution comprising solubilized collagen derived from said insoluble collagen particles;
• f. adding insoluble collagen with or without additional water to said solution containing solubilized collagen in Step e and mixing;
• g. separating at least some of said solution of Step f containing solubilized collagen from said insoluble collagen and returning said insoluble collagen to Step e, whereby at least a portion of said proteolytic enzyme is recycled, and a separated solution containing solubilized collagen is withdrawn as product.

A method for producing a solution of soluble collagen, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. reacting insoluble collagen with a proteolytic enzyme to produce a solution including soluble collagen;
• b. separating at least some of the soluble collagen from the insoluble collagen;
• c. withdrawing the soluble collagen as product;
• and
• d. returning the separated insoluble collagen to Step a, whereby at least a portion of the proteolytic enzyme is recycled.