Colour reduction in canola protein isolate

A process of preparing a canola protein isolate of improved colour from canola oil seed meal, which comprises the sequential steps of:

• (a) extracting the canola oil seed meal to cause solubilization of canola protein in the canola oil seed meal to form an aqueous canola protein solution having a pH about 5 to about 6.8,
• (b) separating the canola aqueous protein solution from residual oil seed meal,
• (c) increasing the concentration of said canola protein in said aqueous canola solution while maintaining the ionic strength of the aqueous canola protein solution substantially constant by effecting ultrafiltration of the aqueous canola protein solution to provide a concentrated canola protein solution,
• (d) subjecting the concentrated canola protein solution to diafiltration using about 2 to about 20 volumes of diafiltration solution, until no significant further quantities of phenolics and colour are present in the permeate to form a diafiltration solution,
• (e) diluting the diafiltered protein solution into chilled water having a temperature below 15° C. to form discrete canola protein micelles in the chilled water,
• (f) settling the canola protein micelles to form an amorphous, sticky, gelatinous, gluten-like canola protein micellar mass, and
• (g) recovering the canola protein micellar mass from supernatant as said canola protein isolate, the canola protein micellar mass having a protein content of at least 90 wt % (N×6.25) on a dry weight basis.