Jatropha curcas processing method and products

Abstract

A process for preparing a food or feed composition from J. curcas is disclosed. The method involves adding an acidified aqueous solution to J. curcas components, to a final pH of between 1 and 5, incubating the acidified mixture for a period for a period of at least 1 hour, and centrifuging the incubated mixture to separate the mixture into three physically distinct fractions: (i) a light, upper fraction containing oil, (ii) an aqueous fraction containing soluble acid-extracted components and breakdown products, and (iii) a substantially detoxified solid cake which forms or is used in forming the food or feed composition. The acidified aqueous solution added may be acidified olive vegetation water having a ratio of hydroxytyrosol to oleuropein of between 5:1 to 100:1. Also disclosed are a food or feed composition, and oil and aqueous fractions formed by the method.

1 - 69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . An oil fraction from  J. curcas  formed by the steps of:
 (a) crushing or grinding one or more  J. curcas  components to form a slurry, wherein the one or more  J. curcas  components is a  J. curcas  plant part selected from the group consisting of leaves, hulls, fruit, or seeds or pre-formed cake thereof;   (b) acidifying the slurry of step (a) to a pH of 1-5 by adding an acidified aqueous solution to form an acidified slurry;   (c) incubating the acidified slurry for a period of at least 1 hour;   (d) separating the incubated acidified slurry by centrifuging or decanting into three distinct fractions: (i) a fraction containing oil, (ii) an aqueous fraction comprising unoxidized phorbol esters and curcin, and (iii) a detoxified solid cake; and   (e) isolating the oil fraction in step (d).   
     
     
         71 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the acidified aqueous solution contains citric acid. 
     
     
         72 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the acidified aqueous solution contains 1% citric acid. 
     
     
         73 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the acidified aqueous antioxidant solution is olive vegetation water. 
     
     
         74 . The oil fraction of  claim 73 , wherein the olive vegetation water has a ratio of hydroxytyrosol to oleuropein of between 5:1 to 100:1. 
     
     
         75 . The oil fraction of  claim 73 , wherein the olive vegetation water further comprises 5-10% (v/v) of an organic solvent. 
     
     
         76 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the fraction containing oil is removed from the detoxified solid cake and aqueous fraction, and the detoxified cake and aqueous fraction is further separated to provide three physically distinct fractions. 
     
     
         77 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the fraction containing oil, the detoxified solid cake and the aqueous fraction are simultaneously separated from each other. 
     
     
         78 . The oil fraction of  claim 70 , wherein the acidified slurry is acidified to a pH of 2-4. 
     
     
         79 . A detoxified solid cake fraction from  J. curcas  formed by the steps of:
 (a) crushing or grinding one or more  J. curcas  components to form a slurry, wherein the one or more  J. curcas  components is a  J. curcas  plant part selected from the group consisting of leaves, hulls, fruit, or seeds or pre-formed cake thereof;   (b) acidifying the slurry of step (a) to a pH of 1-5 by adding an acidified aqueous solution to form an acidified slurry;   (c) incubating the acidified slurry for a period of at least 1 hour;   (d) separating the incubated acidified slurry by centrifuging or decanting into three distinct fractions: (i) a fraction containing oil, (ii) an aqueous fraction comprising unoxidized phorbol esters and curcin, and (iii) a detoxified solid cake; and   (e) isolating the detoxified solid cake fraction in step (d).   
     
     
         80 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the acidified aqueous solution contains citric acid. 
     
     
         81 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the acidified aqueous solution contains 1% citric acid. 
     
     
         82 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the acidified aqueous antioxidant solution is olive vegetation water. 
     
     
         83 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 82 , wherein the olive vegetation water has a ratio of hydroxytyrosol to oleuropein of between 5:1 to 100:1. 
     
     
         84 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 82 , wherein the olive vegetation water further comprises 5-10% (v/v) of an organic solvent. 
     
     
         85 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the fraction containing oil is removed from the detoxified solid cake and aqueous fraction, and the detoxified cake and aqueous fraction is further separated to provide three physically distinct fractions. 
     
     
         86 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the fraction containing oil, the detoxified solid cake and the aqueous fraction are simultaneously separated from each other. 
     
     
         87 . The detoxified solid cake fraction of  claim 79 , wherein the acidified slurry is acidified to a pH of 2-4.