A PROCESS FOR FRACTIONATING GREEN,LEAFY VEGETABLE MATERIAL

摘要

1377438 Animal feed G O KOHLER and E M BICKOFF 23 May 1972 [28 May 1971] 24135/72 Heading A2B [Also in Division C3] A process for fractionating juice derived from alfalfa or other green, leafy vegetable material (specified) involves heating the juice (denoted by L-1 on the Fig.) and then cooling it to form an agglomerate containing chloro plastic proteins, chlorophyll, carotenoids and lipids while retaining cytoplasmic proteins in solution, removing the agglomerate (fraction B) from the residual juice and separating from the resulting clear juice (L-2) a protein-containing fraction (fraction C) substantially free from chlorophyll, carotenoids and lipids. According to preferred features, the vegetable material is disintegrated while in contact with an alkaline aqueous medium to which sulphite, ascorbic acid or ethoxyquin may have been added. The green juice L-1 obtained by pressing is brought to pH 5-6 (if adjustment is necessary) and then heated either at 50‹C for 1-5 minutes or at 60-70‹C for not more than 20 seconds to agglomerate the chloroplastic fraction. This is heat-treated to 80‹C for 1 minute, after separation, and then dried. It is stated to be particularly useful in animal feeding because it is low in fibre and high in protein, carotene and xanthophyll. Fraction A (as depicted on the Fig.) is also useful for animal feeding. The cytoplasmic fraction, stated to be particularly desirable for human use, is then precipitated out of the clear juice L-2 by acidifying it to pH 3-4.8 and/or by heating to a temperature of 55-80‹C. Successive treatments at lower pH and higher temperatures may be made.