Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137481
Title: PROTEIN ENRICHMENT OF DEFATTED SALICORNIA MEAL BY AIR CLASSIFICATION

Author
item Wu, Ying Victor
item ABBOTT, THOMAS - RETIRED

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2002
Publication Date: 2/1/2003
Citation: WU,Y. ., ABBOTT,T.P., PROTEIN ENRICHMENT OF DEFATTED SALICORNIA MEAL BY AIR CLASSIFICATION. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN OIL CHEMISTS SOCIETY. 2003. v. 80(2). p. 167-169.

Interpretive Summary: There is a shortage of fresh water for irrigation of crops. Repeated irrigation of land causes salt to accumulate and makes the irrigated land unsuitable for growing conventional crops that require fresh water. Salicornia is an oilseed crop that can grow in seawater. Defatted salicornia meal is relatively rich in protein. Separation of finely ground defatted salicornia meal into fractions according to particle size in a stream of air resulted in protein enrichment of the fine fractions. The protein-rich fraction may find application in food and feed. Utilization of both oil and protein from salicornia can encourage farmers to grow this crop in coastal deserts and other areas where only salty water is available for irrigation.

Technical Abstract: Salicornia bigelovii Torr. is a leafless, annual salt-marsh plant. Previous investigators reported the seed contained 26-33% oil, 30-33% protein, 5-7% fiber, and 5-7% ash over a five-year period. Hexane-defatted salicornia meal was ground in a pin mill and separated by air classification into various fractions by particle size. The fine fractions were enriched in protein. The degree of protein enrichment and yield of fine fractions depended on the intensity of grinding. More intense grinding resulted in higher yield of fine fractions with smaller increase in protein content compared with less intensive grinding. The amino acid composition and proximate composition of the air-classified fractions are compared with the starting material.