Not sequentially but simultaneously: Facile extraction of proteins and oleosomes from oilseeds

Abstract

Oilseeds represent a sustainable source of oils and proteins that can replace those of animal origin. However, the extraction of oil and proteins from oilseeds currently requires multiple steps and is plagued by undesired reactions occurring during the extraction, which limits valorization. In this paper, we describe a successful method for the simple simultaneous extraction of proteins and oil (as intact oleosomes). Non-defatted dehulled rapeseeds served as oilseed model. First, an aqueous extraction step at pH 9.0 was performed resulting in a protein-oleosome extract, with extraction yields of 78.8 ±0.2 wt% and 82.8 ±0.4 wt% of proteins and oleosomes respectively. Further separation resulted in a protein-rich and an oleosome-rich mixture. The oleosomes were recovered as high oil volume oil-in-water emulsion, while simple filtration of the protein-rich mixture led to a highly soluble (81.4 ±1.9 wt%) protein concentrate. Following this extraction method, complexation between proteins and phenolic compounds was prevented, a clear advantage over the existing methods. These findings emphasize the importance of designing new processes for the extraction of oilseed proteins and oleosomes that could initiate their use in food systems.