Protein production and purification is a process that applies to foods and drinks that are valued for their high quality protein content. It is often done for the purpose of producing a protein drink or adding additional protein to food. The proteins in milk, eggs and soy are commonly purified to achieve this high degree of distillation.
Function
Protein, found in all forms of life, is a molecule that carries out most of your cellular functions. It is complicit in the immune function, muscle contractions, transportation of oxygen through the blood, chemical reactions and many other tasks. Proteins are made up of small building blocks known as amino acids. A singe protein made be hundreds of amino acids long. However, protein turnover occurs at a constant rate, so amino acids need to be replenished through the diet in order to maintain the protein structure in tissue such as the muscles.
Definition
Protein purification is a scientific term that denotes a process by which the protein is removed from the surrounding content and isolated. It originated as a process endemic to the field of biochemistry, in which thousands of proteins are isolated within cells for scientific research. However, it has since become an important part of the nutrition industry. Purified protein is primarily consumed by bodybuilders to repair and build muscle tissue after workouts.
Sources
Protein production starts with the source. The most common form of isolated protein is made from milk, which has two main proteins. Casein, or the "curd" portion, constitutes 80 percent of the milk protein; whey makes up the rest. Both are disassociated from each other and isolated separately. A popular choice amongst vegetarians or lactose intolerant individuals is soy protein. It's made from the legume known as the soybean, the highest quality plant protein and the only one to contain all of the essential amino acids necessary for proper health. In its original state, the nutritional content of the soybean is already 38 percent protein. Egg protein is much less often used than the other two sources.
Methods
There are a few main methods by which protein is purified. The first method uses a microscopic filter to separate the protein from the surrounding content. The second method uses an ion exchange tower, which separates the proteins based on their electrical charge. Two chemicals are used to achieve this: hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. The electrical charge of the proteins attaches them to the chemical resins in the reaction vessel. Soy protein, on the other hand, is purified in a different way: the dehulled and defatted soy flour is soaked in water or alcohol and extracted from the carbohydrates.
Considerations
Some chemical reagents used during the process of ion exchange may damage pH sensitive fractions and denature the amino acids, meaning that it alters their original state. The end product may therefore have fewer components overall. Either way, after the protein has been purified, it is evaporated and dried to render a fine powder. The drying is performed at low temperatures to prevent further denaturing. Depending upon the degree of purification, protein content ranges between 35 and 95 percent. The higher the protein concentration, the more that it has been processed.
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