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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338608
Research Project: Integrating the Development of New Feed Ingredients and Functionality and Genetic Improvement to Enhance Sustainable Production of Rainbow Trout

Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research

Title: Leaf protein extraction from oat forage: investigation into factors involved and optimization

Author
item Liu, Keshun
item LIU, QIAN - Northeast Agricultural University
item Woolman, Michael - Mike

Submitted to: American Oil Chemists' Society Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2017
Publication Date: 5/1/2017
Citation: Liu, K., Liu, Q., Woolman, M.J. 2017. Leaf protein extraction from oat forage: investigation into factors involved and optimization. American Oil Chemists' Society Meeting, April 30-May 3, 2017; Orlando, FL. PCP4b.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Increasing cost and limiting availability of animal proteins have created a need to identify alternative protein sources for use as food and/or feed. Although considerable emphasis has been on conventional plant proteins, such as proteins from oilseeds, cereals and their by-products, leaf protein, an unconventional one, has also gained renewed interest on the prospect that its concentrate can be a valuable co-product from cellulosic biofuel production and can also mitigate the food versus fuel controversy. Earlier work focused mainly on mechanical extraction of proteins from fresh leaves, but solvent extraction from dried and ground biomass is the only alternative method in recovering proteins during cellulosic biofuel production. In this study, oat forage was grown and harvested locally, and then dried, ground into powder and solvent extracted for protein. Various factors, including sample particle size, solvent to solid sample ratio, alkaline solvent concentration, extraction temperature, centrifugation force, and enzyme treatment, were investigated. The objective was two-fold: to evaluate factors affecting protein extraction, and to determine maximum protein extractability under given conditions. Results indicate that all factors under investigation had significant effect on protein extraction from oat forage, with solvent to solid ratio and alkaline concentration as the most influential ones. The maximum protein extractability was around 78%, but the conditions that achieved this level required high solvent to solid ratio and high alkaline concentration. Thus, production of leaf protein concentrate from dried biomass could be economically unfeasible.