Protein composition and process for isolating a protein composition from a muscle source

Abstract

A process is provided for isolating a protein component of animal muscle tissue by mixing a particulate form of the tissue with an acidic aqueous liquid having a pH below about 3.5 to produce a protein rich solution substantially free of myofibrils and sarcomere tissue structure. The protein rich aqueous solution can be treated to effect protein precipitation, followed by protein recovery.

1 . A process for forming a protein rich component of animal muscle tissue which comprises forming a protein rich aqueous liquid solution from a composition containing said tissue and an aqueous composition having a pH less than about 3.5 which does not substantially degrade protein of said protein rich component, and recovering said protein rich component.  
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said composition of said animal muscle tissue comprises a suspension of a particulate form of a tissue in an aqueous solution having a pH between about 5.0 and about 6.5.  
     
     
         3 . The process of any one of claims  1  or  2  wherein said protein rich component is an aqueous liquid solution of protein derived from muscle tissue having a pH less than about 3.5.  
     
     
         4 . The process of any one of claims  1  or  2  wherein protein of said protein rich component in solution is recovered by precipitation.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein protein precipitation is effected by raising the pH of said protein rich component to between about 5.0 and 6.5.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  including the step of lyophilizing protein recovered from said precipitation step.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5  including the step of spray drying protein recovered from said precipitation step.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 3  including the step of fractionating said protein recovered from said precipitation step.  
     
     
         9 . A protein rich solid composition isolated from an animal muscle tissue which comprises myofibrillar proteins substantially free of myofibrils and sarcomeres.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  which contains at least about 8% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based upon total weight of protein.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9  which contains at least about 10% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based upon total weight of protein.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9  which contains at least about 15% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based upon total weight of proteins.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 9  which contains at least about 18% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based upon total weight of protein.  
     
     
         14 . A protein rich composition isolated from animal muscle tissue comprising myofibrillar proteins substantially free of myofibrils and sarcomeres in aqueous liquid solution having a pH less than about 3.5 which does not substantially degrade said proteins.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14  having a pH between about 2.5 and about 3.5.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of any one of claims  14  or  15  which contains at least about 8% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based on total weight of myofibrillar protein and sarcoplasmic protein.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of any one of claims  14  or  15  which contains at least about 10% up to about 30% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based on total weight of myofibrillar protein and sarcoplasmic protein.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of any one of claims  14  or  15  which contains at least about 15% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based on total weight of myofibrillar protein and sarcoplasmic protein.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of any one of claims  14  or  15  which contains at least about 18% by weight sarcoplasmic proteins based on total weight of myofibrillar protein and sarcoplasmic protein.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said pH is between about 2.5 and about 3.5.  
     
     
         21 . The process of any one of claims  1  or  2  wherein said animal muscle tissue is fish tissue.  
     
     
         22 . The process of any one of claims  1  or  2  wherein said animal muscle tissue is chicken tissue.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 5  wherein said pH is raised with a composition that includes a polyphosphate.  
     
     
         24 . The process of any one of claims  1  and  2  wherein said aqueous liquid composition having a pH less than about 3.5 is formed with citric acid.