The isolation of leaf components. I

Abstract

The disintegration of leaf materials has been effected by the impulse rendering process. Various components, protein, lipids, water-soluble matter and fibre ,have been isolated in amounts which would appear t o merit investigation and exploitation.As the first of a series of papers, the present one deals with the methods used in the disintegration of leaf material and the isolation of protein.

Amino acid composition and In Vitro digestibility of some protein fractions from three species of leaves of various ages

“…These cytoplasmic fractions are more than 90 % digestible, compared with digestibilities of 50% ,or less, for chloroplastic fractions and 60-80% for most whole leaf proteins. Chloroplastic fractions have also been made by flocculating the leaf extract with calcium chloridez6 or centrifuging the whole extract, 3,20 and cytoplasmic protein by acidifying26 or adding alcohoP to chloroplast-free extracts. There is conflicting evidence about the amino acid composition of these preparations; most workers report little difference between whole leaf protein and the various fraction~,lE-Z0,~6.27 but frequently qualify this by excepting one, or more, individual amino acids (not always the same ones).…”

Leaf protein concentrate prepared by spray-drying

“…Methods for the preparation of leaf protein concentrate (LPC) have been studied for more than 20 years by Pirie and associates (11,30,33,34) at the Rothamsted Experiment Station and later by Chayen et al (12) of the British Glues and Chemicals Ltd. Their object was to develop methods for the extraction of leaf proteins from green plants and to prepare a protein food which would be consumed by nonruminant animals including man. Leaves and other green plant material could be used as a protein source for humans and nonruminants, if the protein could be separated from the fiber.…”

“…Pirie and associates (15,30) and Chayen et al (12) described methods for large scale production of protein from leaf extracts. The process devised by Pirie involved pulping the green plants in a modified hammer mill and expressing the juice in a press.…”

Leaf Proteins as Foodstuffs, Amino Acid Composition of Leaf Protein Concentrates

“…Perhaps efficiency could be greatly increased if mechanical power and technology were used to separate plant protein from fiber and concentrate it into consumable forms. Mechanical methods of separating and concentrating leaf proteins have been described by Pirie and associates (3, 22-26, 28, 29) and Chayen et al (8). Leaf protein concentrate (LPC) can be extracted and processed, leaving a residue which might have value as a ruminant feed.…”