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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323991
Research Project: Evaluation of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Low-Value Agricultural Crops and Products to Enhance Their Use and Value

Location: Functional Foods Research

Title: Enhancing the nutritional value of canola (Brassica napus) meal using a submerged fungal incubation process

Author
item CROAT, JASON - South Dakota State University
item GIBBONS, WILLIAM - South Dakota State University
item Berhow, Mark
item KARKI, BISHNU - South Dakota State University
item MUTHUKUMARAPPAN, KASIVISWANATHAN - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: Journal of Food Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/16/2016
Publication Date: 8/21/2016
Citation: Croat, J.R., Gibbons, W.R., Berhow, M.A., Karki, B., Muthukumarappan, K. 2016. Enhancing the nutritional value of canola (Brassica napus) meal using a submerged fungal incubation process. Journal of Food Research. 5(5). https://doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v5n5p1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v5n5p1

Interpretive Summary: Seeds in the mustard plant family including canola are pressed or extracted with solvent to produce a oil fraction and a seed meal fraction. The seed meals are currently a low value product that can be further processed to increase its nutritional value and use as a feed ingredient for a variety of animals and even fish. By treating the seed meals with fungal cultures in a submerged incubation system to increase protein digestibility and lower the anti-nutritive glucosinolate content, with little effect on the carbohydrate composition. Seven fungal strains were evaluated and three stains resulted in the greatest improvements in the nutritional quality of the canola seed meal. This low cost methodology will produce a more nutritional seed meal product with enhanced value as a feed ingredient.

Technical Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal fungal culture to increase the nutritional value of canola meal so it could be used at higher feed inclusion rates, and for a broad range of monogastrics, including fish. Submerged incubation conditions were used to evaluate performance of seven fungal cultures in hexane extracted (HE) and cold pressed (CP) canola meal. Aureobasidium pullulans (Y-2311-1), Fusarium venenatum and Trichoderma reesei resulted in the greatest improvements in protein levels in HE canola meal, at 21.0, 23.8, and 34.8%, respectively. These fungi reduced total GLS content to 2.7, 7.4, and 4.9 µM/g, respectively, while residual sugar levels ranged from 0.8-1.6% w/w. In trials with CP canola meal, the same three fungi increased protein levels by 24.6, 35.2, and 37.3%, and final GLS levels to 6.5, 4.0, and 4.7 µM/g, respectively. Additionally, residual sugar levels were reduced to 0.3-1.0 % w/w.