Development of an Innovative Process for Extracting Protein from Grasslands for Food Use

The partners SEGLER-Förderanlagen Maschinenfabrik GmbH and DIL Deutsche Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V. are addressing this question in a joint development project aimed at optimizing the processes involved in preparing for the subsequent extraction of high-quality RuBisCO protein from grass fibers. The research project is funded by NBank.

The goal is to develop a system capable of processing green biomass immediately after mowing in order to efficiently and gently extract a protein-rich fluid from grass fibers. To this end, the project focuses on developing a novel sub-process that combines two process steps into a mobile or semi-mobile process chain. The grass fibers are first to be compacted in a specially developed screw press in such a way that air pockets are largely avoided. This pre-compaction is a prerequisite for the subsequent treatment in a PEF (Pulsed Electric Fields) cell. The PEF process is designed to selectively break down the cells of the grass fibers, allowing the extraction of juice with a high content of water-soluble protein (RuBisCO). In a subsequent pressing step, this juice can be extracted from the treated fiber material. The resulting products are a protein-rich fresh juice and a fibrous press cake.

The innovative core of the project lies in the combination of gentle compaction and PEF treatment of long-fiber green biomass. Technically, this is highly challenging: The fibers must be compacted in such a way that air and excess liquid can escape without prematurely destroying the fiber structure. At the same time, the material must be fed into the treatment cell in a geometry suitable for the PEF process and with as few voids as possible. The long-fiber nature of the hay presents a particular challenge here, as tangles, buildup on the shaft, and blockages must be avoided.

With this project, both partners are breaking new technological ground. SEGLER is contributing its expertise in the development of custom-built machines with rotating shafts and press screws, while expanding this expertise to include the challenging processing of long-fiber biomass that requires particularly gentle handling. For DIL, the PEF treatment of a material without a conventional liquid carrier medium presents a new process engineering challenge. Together, the partners are thus laying the foundation for an innovative process that can significantly improve the extraction of proteins from grasslands for human consumption.

If you have any questions about the project, please feel free to contact Thomas Neteler at SEGLER or Kemal Aganovic at DIL, who are coordinating the project.