ILERFRED - INDUSTRIAL LERIDANA DEL FRÍO S.L. This research involves process technologists and biochemists working closely with experts in plant breeding and plant physiology. Wageningen University & Research has conducted research into efficient, economically viable protein extraction from agricultural residues for more than 10 years. It also makes a good egg substitute in food products. This makes Rubisco a very useful protein for processing into meat substitutes and plant-based dairy alternatives, for example as a way of providing a firm ‘bite’ or improved mouthfeel. In its pure form, Rubisco has a neutral aroma, colour and flavour, and a good balance of the essential amino acids. The protein is therefore found in every leaf of every green plant on Earth, often in considerable quantities. Rubisco, or ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, is a crucial enzyme in photosynthesis. The leaves are either ploughed back into the soil as fertiliser or are composted, both of which are low-value uses of the residues compared to extracting protein for human consumption. These residues are composed of leaves and stems. Harvesting food crops results in the yearly production of around 40 tonnes (for sugar beet) to 50 tonnes (for tomatoes) of crop residues per hectare. These might include producers of dairy and meat substitutes,” says Bruins. “That could mean working with greenhouse horticulture businesses, or businesses that use plant-based proteins as inputs. The researchers hope to work with the private sector to further develop the technology to apply it on an industrial scale. “Our study proves that you can achieve substantial gains in sustainability by making better use of what you already have. “Our method filters out the components that are smaller than the protein we want to extract, and this includes many toxins,” says project leader Marieke Bruins, senior scientist in protein technology at Wageningen University & Research. The leaves of potato and cassava plants, for example, also contain toxins, and like tomato leaves they therefore are unsuitable for direct consumption. The same method could also be suitable for extracting Rubisco from the leaves of other food crops. The result was a high-value protein powder which was free of toxins. The researchers investigated whether they could use this method to also remove the toxin hydroxytomatine from tomato leaves. The pilot study was based on a method of extracting Rubisco from sugar beet leaves. It will also help to accelerate a transition towards a more plant-based diet in developed countries. Large-scale application of this process will increase the availability of plant-based proteins contributing to a sustainable food supply for the growing global population. The method they used is similar to the methods they had previously developed for extracting Rubisco from other crop residue streams. Researchers at Wageningen have become the first in the world to extract high-value Rubisco protein from tomato leaves, one of the major residue streams of greenhouse horticulture. Wageningen researchers show that it’s possible to extract high-value Rubisco protein from tomato leaves
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