Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The market for new protein sources for food has never been as popular as it is today.
This is partly a response to the increased climate threat. One major contributing factor
to the climate impact is food production and the huge waste that comes from both
producer and consumer. Trying to develop new sources of protein is important since
carbon dioxide emissions from the protein sources consumed today, often from
animals, are very high. Plant protein has considerably lower carbon dioxide emissions
and is therefore a good alternative.
Rapeseed is a well-established oil plant that is grown both in Sweden and
internationally, especially in Canada. In Sweden, about 108.000 ha are currently
grown with rapeseed of both spring and autumn varieties. The crop can be grown on
the major parts of southern Sweden and is relatively easy to grow. Rapeseed consists
of 30–40% oil and 20–25% protein. The protein in rapeseed has a high-quality
amino acid composition compared to other vegetable protein and animal
protein as it contains several essential amino acids. Antinutrients such as
glucosinolates, phytic acid and erucic acid have long been a problem in rapeseed
but thanks to intensive plant breeding, the antinutrients have drastically
decreased and are today under approved levels.
Rapeseed contains high-grade protein and is suitable for further processing. Oil
extraction is the most common human-consumed product of rapeseed, but
the production also results in a by-product, a high-protein content press cake. The
press cake is commonly used for animal feed.
In this study, eleven spring rapeseed cultivars were examined, whose protein
exchange in the press cake was compared. The study was a part of an
extensive research project on rapeseed protein at Lund University. The
results showed differences between the protein yield of the varieties and the variety
SW Y2909 was found to be the highest yield with 33% crude protein and the lowest
yield was Lennon with 13%. A conclusion based on the result is that rapeseed
varieties have difference in protein yield.