Protein extraction for valorization andiroba coproducts.

• Grant number: 24/08043-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Rosiane Lopes da Cunha
• Grantee: Felipe Fernandes do Carmo Sonaglio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Andiroba is an Amazonian fruit industrially processed for oil extraction, traditionally made by pressing. The biomass generated after extraction is often discarded, although it contains potentially functional compounds,such as proteins, making it desirable to explore processing co-products, called press cakes. This use takes into account the concept of biorefinery, seeking to mitigate environmental problems and add value to waste from food industry. In this sense, this project aims to recover proteins from press cakes of andiroba oil extraction and evaluate its technofunctional properties to be applied as ingredients in the food industry. As such, the raw material (press cake) will undergo an initial composition characterization, followed by degreasing. Subsequently, the proteins will be extracted byalkaline extraction, with optimization of extraction conditions in terms of yield, protein content in the extract and modification of the rheological behavior. When characterizing proteins, their physicochemical and technofunctional properties will be evaluated, in order to prospect possible applications of the ingredient obtained from a low added value raw material, promoting a sustainable perspective and allowing the valorization of the processing ofandiroba in northern Brazil.