Method of processing soy protein

Abstract

A method of processing a proteinaceous material, the method entails (1) blending the proteinaceous material with alcohol and a reducing agent and (2) maintaining a combination having the proteinaceous material and the reducing agent at a greater than ambient temperature for a holding period of at least about five minutes to form a proteinaceous product.

1. A method of processing a proteinaceous material the method comprising:
 blending the proteinaceous material with alcohol and a reducing agent to form a mixture wherein the percentage of alcohol in the mixture is in the range of between about 5 to about 20 percent by weight; 
 maintaining the mixture at a temperature greater than 90° C. and a pressure greater than 10 psig for a holding period at least about five minutes to form a proteinaceous product; and 
 removing all or essentially all of the alcohol by venting the pressure on the proteinaceous product, the proteinaceous product with enhanced solubility and preserved color characteristics. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein, the alcohol is present in the mixture during the holding period. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the proteinaceous material comprises oilseed material that comprises oilseed protein. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the oilseed material comprises soy protein. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the reducing agent comprises a source of SO 2 . 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the reducing agent comprises an alkali metal sulfite, an alkali metal bisulfite, an alkali metal meta bisulfite, an alkali metal pyrosulfite, or any mixture of any of these. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the reducing agent comprises sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium meta bisulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, potassium sulfite, potassium bisulfite, potassium meta bisulfite, potassium pyrosulfite, or any mixture of any of these. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the alcohol is infinitely miscible in water. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the alcohol comprises methanol, ethanol, propanol, or any mixture of any of these. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the temperature ranges from about 100° C. to about 121° C. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the holding period is at least about ten minutes. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the holding period ranges from about ten to about thirty minutes. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising maintaining the combination comprising the proteinaceous material and the reducing agent at super-atmospheric pressure during the holding period. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein the super-atmospheric pressure ranges from about ten pounds per square inch gauge to about thirty pounds per square inch gauge. 
     
     
       15. A method of forming an animal feed, the method comprising combining the proteinaceous product of  claim 1  with an animal feed component. 
     
     
       16. A method of processing a proteinaceous material the method comprising:
 blending the proteinaceous material with a reducing agent to form a mixture; 
 maintaining the mixture at a temperature greater than 90° C. and a pressure greater than 10 psig in an autoclave for a holding period to form a proteinaceous product; and 
 removing all or substantially all of any alcohol present in the proteinaceous product by venting the pressure on the proteinaceous product, the proteinaceous product having enhanced solubility and preserved color characteristics. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  wherein the proteinaceous material comprises oilseed material that comprises oilseed protein. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  wherein the oilseed material comprises soy protein. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16  wherein the reducing agent comprises a source of SO 2 . 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16  wherein the reducing agent comprises an alkali metal sulfite, an alkali metal bisulfite, an alkali metal meta bisulfite, an alkali metal pyrosulfite, or any mixture of any of these. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16  wherein the reducing agent comprises sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium meta bisulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, potassium
 sulfite, potassium bisulfite, potassium meta bisulfite, potassium pyrosulfite, or any mixture of any of these. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 16  wherein the greater than ambient temperature ranges from about 100° C. to about 121° C. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 16  wherein the holding period lasts at least about five minutes. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 16  wherein the holding period lasts at least about ten minutes. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 16  wherein the holding period ranges from about ten minutes to about thirty minutes. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 16  wherein the mixture further comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  wherein the alcohol is infinitely miscible in water. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26  wherein the alcohol comprises methanol, ethanol, propanol, or any mixture of any of these. 
     
     
       29. A method of forming an animal feed, the method comprising combining the proteinaceous product of  claim 16  with an animal feed component. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29  wherein the mixture of  claim 16  further comprises alcohol and the method further comprises removing all or essentially all of any incorporated to alcohol from the proteinaceous product. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 1  wherein the mixture further comprises water. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 1  wherein the proteinaceous material and reducing agent are combined with an aqueous solution to form the mixture, the aqueous solution comprising the alcohol and water. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 16  wherein the mixture further comprises water. 
     
     
       34. A method of processing a proteinaceous material the method comprising:
 blending the proteinaceous material with a reducing agent to form a mixture;   maintaining the mixture at a temperature greater than 90° C. and a pressure greater than 10 psig in a closed system for a holding period to form a proteinaceous product; and   removing all or substantially all of any alcohol present in the proteinaceous product by venting the pressure on the proteinaceous product, the proteinaceous product having enhanced solubility and preserved color characteristics.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, wherein the closed system comprises a conventional vessel. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 35, the conventional vessel including a steam jacket. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 35, the conventional vessel including a mixer.