20.01.2017 change 20.01.2017

Polish protein sourced from rape may replace protein from soy and of animal origin in a few years

There is an increasing global demand for healthy and environmentally produced food, in particular proteins of plant origin. Łódź start-up Napiferyn Biotech has developed and is perfecting a unique on a global scale technique for extracting edible protein from rape, and specifically rape biomass remaining after oil pressing.

Rapeseed protein can be used, for example, in soft drinks, bread, pastas, desserts and in protein bars. "In the future we plan to use our innovative technology to obtain proteins from other oilseeds, such as sunflower" - said co-founder and CEO of Napiferyn Biotech, Magdalena Kozłowska.

Co-founder of the company Piotr Wnukowski admitted that the idea was conceived a few years ago, when he worked in a corporation in the west, in a program aimed to develop technologies for the needs of a changing climate on earth. The program included projects associated with obtaining protein from new sources. "I decided to refine the technique for extracting proteins from oilseeds, particularly rapeseed, which is the king of Polish oilseeds" - he added.

Magdalena Kozłowska emphasized that the innovation developed by Napiferyn Biotech involves using the mass remaining after pressing oil from rapeseed. In her opinion, rapeseed biomass has huge potential, and nobody else has used it to obtain high-value protein as a nutrient for food products.

"This material\'s value has been underestimated, and it is the source of high-value protein. We process the residues into a protein in a pure form" - she noted. Global trends show that there is a strong demand for proteins of plant origin. "Our technology works, it is capable of extracting high-grade protein from this material" - she added.

Rapeseed protein is obtained in the form of an isolate which has a high nutritional value, balanced amino acid composition, low fat and carbohydrates. "Our protein can be used as a food ingredient in order to increase its nutritional value" - added Kozłowska.

She reminded that proteins consist of amino acids and vary in terms of composition and proportions. "Rapeseed has a very well-balanced amino acid composition" - she emphasised.

In her view, the possibilities of using of this protein for food production are endless and it can be an alternative to animal and soy protein. "It can be used in all products, in which so far animal and soybean proteins have been used, that is, for example, in beverages, desserts, protein bars. All product, in which we want to increase nutritional value, protein content" - she believes.

Technology and innovative ideas of the start-up are protected by patent. "We start with obtaining an extract containing protein from the residue formed after oil pressing. Then, in several stages of process, we are able to obtain the protein in its pure form" - she noted.

Napiferyn Biotech operates in BioNanoPark in Łódź, and as a technology company wants to generate knowledge about the plant proteins and profit from licence fees for developed technology. "We focus on primarily on rape, which is the king of oil seeds in Poland. But our technology is universal and will also work on other oilseeds, such as sunflower, and we want to verify that as well" - announced the CEO of the company.

With EU funds acquired within the framework of the European research programme Horizon 2020 and from the National Centre for Research and Development in the "Fast Track" competition, the company wants to further develop and improve the unique technology.

Production of rapeseed protein on an industrial scale - according to Kozłowska - will be possible in 4-5 years. "Then foods enriched with this protein will appear on store shelves and our tables" - she concluded.

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