Tan CF, Kwan SH, Lee CS, Soh YNA, Ho YS, Bi X. Cottonseed Meal Protein Isolate as a New Source of Alternative Proteins: A Proteomics Perspective. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 3;23(17):10105. doi: 10.3390/ijms231710105. PMID: 36077502; PMCID: PMC9455987.
Abstract:
Cottonseed meal (CSM) is a good source of dietary proteins but is unsuitable for human
consumption due to its gossypol content. To unlock its potential, we developed a protein extraction
process with a gossypol removal treatment to generate CSM protein isolate (CSMPI) with ultra-low
gossypol content. This process successfully reduced the free and total gossypol content to 4.8 ppm
and 147.2 ppm, respectively, far below the US FDA limit. In addition, the functional characterisation
of CSMPI revealed a better oil absorption capacity and water solubility than pea protein isolate.
Proteome profiling showed that the treatment improved protein identification, while SDS-PAGE
analysis indicated that the treatment did not induce protein degradation. Amino acid analysis revealed that post-treated CSMPI was rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Mass spectrometry analysis of various protein fractions obtained from an in vitro digestibility assay helped to establish the digestibility profile of CSM proteins. Several potential allergens in CSMPI were also
found using allergenic prediction software, but further evaluation based on their digestibility profiles and literature reviews suggests that the likelihood of CSMPI allergenicity remains low. Overall,
our results help to navigate and direct the application of CSMPIs as alternative proteins toward
nutritive human food application
License type:
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the Singapore Food Agency - Singapore Food Story Theme 2
Grant Reference no. : A21H7a0131
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - Singapore-New Zealand Bilateral Programme on Future Food
Grant Reference no. : A20D3b0072