Wednesday, July 30, 2008

PROTEIN ENRICHMENT OF DEFATTED SALICORNIA MEAL BY AIR CLASSIFICATION

Interpretive Summary: There is a shortage of fresh water for irrigation of crops. Repeated irrigation of land causes salt to accumulate and makes the irrigated land unsuitable for growing conventional crops that require fresh water. Salicornia is an oilseed crop that can grow in seawater.

Defatted salicornia meal is relatively rich in protein. Separation of finely ground defatted salicornia meal into fractions according to particle size in a stream of air resulted in protein enrichment of the fine fractions.

The protein-rich fraction may find application in food and feed. Utilization of both oil and protein from salicornia can encourage farmers to grow this crop in coastal deserts and other areas where only salty water is available for irrigation.

United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service

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