Compositions comprising fabaceae family plant components, processes of preparation and uses thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to processes for recovering valuable products from Fabaceae family plant fractions, in particular from Medicago sativa ssp. The processes disclosed herein include processes for obtaining macrofibers, microfibers, a saponin precursor, chloroplast liquid and dry compositions and a Rubisco precursor. There is also disclosed herein processes for extracting from Fabaceae family plants valuable compounds such as proteins, enzymes, peptides, amino acids, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, terpenes, phenols and pigments. The processes may comprise at least one of separating plant fibers while attenuating shear forces, maintaining the temperature at or below 45° C., maintaining the pH above 4 and adding antioxidant and/or antimicrobial agents. Compositions comprising these recovered Fabaceae family plant products and uses thereof are also disclosed.

1 . A dry chloroplast composition comprising chloroplasts isolated from Fabaceae family plants, wherein said composition has a moisture content of less than 12 wt. %, and a protein content of greater than 45 wt. % on a dry basis. 
     
     
         2 . A dry chloroplast composition comprising chloroplasts isolated from Fabaceae family plants, wherein at least 75% of the chloroplasts comprised in the composition are intact, as determined by dynamic light scattering measurement and analysis, and wherein the composition has a protein content of greater than 45 wt. %. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Fabaceae family plants are  Medicago  genus plants. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a moisture content of about 6 wt. % to about 10 wt. %. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the Fabaceae family plant is alfalfa. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in powder form. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant, an antimicrobial agent, a bacteriostatic, a bactericide, a fungicide, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant and/or an antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein about 40 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, about 50 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, about 60 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, about 70 wt. % to about 90 wt. % or about 75 wt. % to about 90 wt. % of the solid content consists of chloroplasts. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a protein content of about 45 wt. % to about 55 wt. % or about 48 wt. % to about 55 wt. %. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a protein content of about 48 wt. % to about 52 wt. %. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a chlorophyll content of greater than 20 mg/g, greater than 25 mg/g or greater than 30 mg/g. 
     
     
         13 . A dry chloroplast composition comprising chloroplasts isolated from Fabaceae family plants, wherein said composition has a protein content greater than 50 wt. % and a chlorophyll content greater than 25 mg/g, wherein at least 70% of the chloroplasts are intact chloroplasts, as determined by dynamic light scattering measurement and analysis. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80% or about 90% of the chloroplasts have a preserved outer membrane integrity. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80% or about 90% of the chloroplasts have a preserved inner membrane integrity. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80% or about 90% of the chloroplasts have maintained metabolic activity as compared to chloroplasts comprised in a reference Fabaceae family plant. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70% or at least about 80% of the chloroplasts are intact chloroplasts as determined by dynamic light scattering measurement and analysis. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80% or about 90% of solid particles comprised in the composition have an average size of about 5 microns to about 10 microns. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a lipid/protein ratio of about 0.2 to about 0.4. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a pH of less than about 5.0, less than about 4.8, less than about 4.7, less than about 4.6, less than about 4.5, less than about 4.4, less than about 4.3 or less than about 4.2.