Valorization of the Noni (Morinda citrifolia) Seeds as Source of a Protein Concentrate and Its Physicochemical, Functional, and Structural Characterization

• Published in: Waste and biomass valorization Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 2033 - 2043
• Main Authors: Hernández Ramírez, Jorge Adrían, Ulloa, José Armando, Ulloa Rangel, Blanca Estela, Rosas Ulloa, Petra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-04-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Digestibility; Engineering; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Foaming; Food; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Mayonnaise; Nutrient content; Original Paper; Protein sources; Proteins; Renewable and Green Energy; Salad dressings; Seeds; Stability; Structural analysis; Structure-function relationships; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Functional properties; Protein concentrate; Noni seeds; Physicochemical properties
• ISSN: 1877-2641; 1877-265X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12649-023-02270-w

The noni juice industry produces a large volume of seeds as by-products, which contain proteins that can be recovered to be used as food ingredients. The aims of this study were the valorization of noni seeds as source of a protein concentrate (NSPC) and their physicochemical, functional, and structural characterization. NSPC was produced by alkaline extraction and isoelectric precipitation, obtaining a powder with a protein content of 76.59%, whose values of the color parameters were
L*
= 55. 32%,
a*
= 4.60%, and
b*
= 19.09. Water (
WHCa
) and oil (
OHCa
) holding capacities of the NSPC were 4.36 g H
2
O/g protein and 11.69 g oil/g protein, respectively, while the emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, foaming capacity, foaming stability, least gelling concentration, and in vitro digestibility were, 29.20%, 50.00%, 180.33%, 94.60%, 4.00%, and 78.51%. Glutelins (64.62%) were the main protein fraction of the NSPC. Hence, NSPC could be used as ingredient for food products as bread, soups, salad dressings, mayonnaise, and processed meat products.
Graphical Abstract