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PROtein MINing of Cereal side-streams Exploring Novel Technological Concepts

PROMINENT PROtein MINing of Ce

This proposal addresses the call BBI VC3.R7 – 2014: Protein products from plant residues. There is a global need to increase dietary intake of plant protein, both from a sustainability but also health perspective. While search for new protein crops is one option, efficient use of currently available raw materials also offers large potential for increasing the number and volume of plant protein food ingredients. Wheat and rice are globally the most cultivated grains after corn. Side-streams from wheat and rice processing thus offer large under-exploited raw material potential for recovery and development of new ingredients such as protein and dietary fibre. While addressing the global food security demand for increased amounts of dietary protein, intensification of the current processes by better use of their side streams also offers means to improve the economy of these processes. For consumer food companies, availability of new protein ingredients offers new business opportunities in terms of development of new high-protein product concepts. The general objective of the PROMINENT project is to develop technologies for concentration of proteins from solid and liquid side streams of wheat and rice processing and for improvement of protein ingredient functionality for new sustainable high-protein food concepts with added consumer value. More specifically, the objectives are to • Develop technologies to fractionate and concentrate protein from solid and liquid side streams of wheat and rice processing • Tailor the techno-functional properties of wheat and rice protein concentrates (e.g. solubility, emulsifying and foaming) by enzymatic technologies • Create from lab to pilot scale new consumer food concepts where the protein ingredients obtained from cereal side streams are utilized either as performance proteins or in protein rich/high protein product formulations • Assess the process scenarios and protein ingredients developed to ensure that the valorization and upgrading of side-streams (and their supply chains) for protein recovery is sustainable and that the basic socio-economic performance of the product system will be advanced. • Establish business cases for new value chains on resource efficient and sustainable plant based proteins obtained from cereal side streams for food ingredients and products. • Establish business cases for new value chains on resource efficient and sustainable plant based proteins obtained from cereal side streams for food ingredients and products. Fulfilling these objectives necessitates work flow throughout the protein production and end use value chain, and the project includes companies from both ingredient and food production clusters. Companies and research partners developing and delivering new technologies will assist in development of novel technologies enabling new business development. Innovation is expected both in technologies to separate and concentrate protein from side streams (f.ex. membrane and Expanded Bed Adsorption Technologies, CO2-SC & ultrasonic technologies combined with enzyme toolbox) and in improvement of protein functionality (f.ex. mechanical and bioprocessing). Sensory quality of the ingredients will be in focus, being a critical factor for consumer acceptability. Criteria for products from the end-user perspective will be set from the very beginning. Only protein ingredients accepted and liked by consumers will be economically viable and able to enhance food security in the long run, and the project will therefore pay special attention to the whole-chain approach for protein valorisation.