Optimization of gum isolation and protein extraction from Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) seeds using decortication

Authors: CAO, XIWEN - Kansas State University; LI, NINGBO - Kansas State University; QI, GUANGYAN - Kansas State University; SUN, XIUZHI - Kansas State University; Bean, Scott; Tilley, Michael - Mike; Aramouni, Fadi; Wang, Dong

Submitted to: Journal of Agriculture and Food Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/14/2021
Publication Date: 10/19/2022
Citation: Cao, X., Li, N., Qi, G., Sun, X., Bean, S.R., Tilley, M., Aramouni, F.M., Wang, D. 2022. Optimization of gum isolation and protein extraction from Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) seeds using decortication. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 6. Article 100223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2021.100223.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2021.100223

Interpretive Summary: There is increasing interest in the use of plant proteins for a range of novel food and non-food uses. A challenge with using plant proteins for new uses is extraction efficiency, yield and purity. Methods to improve plant protein extraction and isolation would therefore be of benefit. This research project investigated the effect of decorticating (removing the outer layers) camelina seeds to isolate gum and subsequent effect on protein extraction from the decorticated seeds. Removing the outer layers of the seeds was found to significantly improve yield and quality of the proteins compared to extracting proteins from whole seeds. This research demonstrates a relatively simple approach to improving extraction of plant proteins in general which could be applied to different types of starting material including cereal grains.

Technical Abstract: Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) seeds, especially their bran, contain a significant amount of monosaccharides and polysaccharides (gums). Decortication procedure was used for improving gum isolation and increasing camelina protein isolation efficiency and protein quality. The effects of bran-to-water ratio (1:30, 1:40, and 1:50 g/mL), isolation temperature (25, 50, and 75 ºC), isolation time (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 h), and their interactions on gum yield, purity, and rheological property were studied. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal condition for isolating gums from camelina seed bran. Gum yield, purity, and viscosity data fit the second-order model (R2 = 0.995, 0.877, and 0.804) better than the first-order model (R2 =0.813, 0.568, and 0.636). Regression results from the second-order model indicate that bran-to-water ratio, isolation temperature, and isolation time all had significant effect on gum yield, purity, and viscosity. The optimal gum isolation condition was as follows: bran-to-water ratio: 1:39 g/mL; isolation temperature: 35 ºC; and isolation time: 1.5 h. Under this condition, gum yield, purity, and viscosity were 19.08% (w/w), 56.24% (w/w), and 62.80 Pa's, respectively. The maximum predicted value of all three responses is 0.839. The yield and quality of protein extracted from decorticated endosperm were significantly improved over those from whole seed meal.