Protein-enriched tobacco-derived composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375741-B2
Application number	US-201815988807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2018
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of the Nicotiana species and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of the Nicotiana species or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant or portion thereof, comprising:
receiving a plant material biomass;
contacting the plant material biomass with a solvent comprising a buffer solution for a time and under conditions sufficient to extract one or more proteins from the plant material biomass into the solvent and form a liquid protein-containing extract;
separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract;
clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction, wherein clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract comprises multiple steps including treating the liquid protein-containing extract with at least one centrifugation step, thereafter adjusting the pH of the liquid protein-containing extract within the range of about 4 to about 7, and filtering the pH-adjusted, liquid protein-containing extract; and
separating the clarified protein-containing extract by contacting the clarified protein-containing extract with at least one filter or membrane to give a retentate comprising RuBisCO-enriched protein material and a permeate comprising a second protein-enriched material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of separating the clarified protein-containing extract comprises filtering the clarified protein-containing extract through one or more ceramic filters.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of separating the clarified protein-containing extract comprises filtering the clarified protein-containing extract through a 0.1 μm ceramic filter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pore size of the at least one filter or membrane is in the range of about 0.05 to about 10 microns.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing the permeate from the separating step through a filter having a pore size of between about 1 kDa and about 500 kDa to provide a retentate comprising the second protein-enriched material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer solution further comprises one or more antioxidants.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more antioxidants comprises sodium metabisulfate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer solution maintains the pH of the solvent within the range of about 7-14.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the pH of the liquid protein-containing extract comprises adjusting the pH to within the range of about 4.5 to about 6.5.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising washing and drying one or both of the retentate and the permeate.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding one or more components to remove color, odor, taste, alkaloids, metals, or a combination thereof, at any step of the process.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more components are selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, a resin, clay, a chelating agent, a molecularly imprinted polymer, a non-imprinted polymer, an oxidizing agent, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the clarifying step is conducted at ambient temperature.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retentate comprising RuBisCO-enriched protein material comprises at least about 50% RuBisCO by dry weight.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the retentate comprising RuBisCO-enriched protein material comprises at least about 60% RuBisCO by dry weight.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the retentate comprising RuBisCO-enriched protein material comprises at least about 70% RuBisCO by dry weight.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant material biomass comprises plant material of the Nicotiana species.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein treating the liquid protein-containing extract with at least one centrifugation step comprises passing the liquid protein-containing extract through a decanter.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid protein-containing extract is mixed with a filter aid prior to said filtering step.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the filter aid is selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, perlite, bentonite, and diatomaceous earth.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein filtering the pH-adjusted, liquid protein-containing extract and filter aid comprises passing the pH-adjusted, liquid protein-containing extract and filter aid through a filter press.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said filtering step comprises passing the pH-adjusted, liquid protein-containing extract through a ceramic filter.

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R

Inventors

• Mua John-Paul
• Ford Kyle
• Joyce Leigh Ann Blevins
• Lovette Margarette Elisa
• Morton Joshua D
• Hagan Leigh
• Bratcher Barry
• Debusk Samuel Mark

Classifications

• A23L2/66

  Proteins · CPC title

• A61Q19/00

  Preparations for care of the skin · CPC title

• A61K2236/00

  Isolation or extraction methods of medicinal preparations of undetermined constitution containing material from algae, lichens, fungi or plants, or derivatives thereof, e.g. traditional herbal medicine · CPC title

• A61K2800/10

  General cosmetic use · CPC title

• C07K14/415

  from plants · CPC title