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FAIR-CT97-3778
Industrial application of plant proteins as binders and co-binders in paper and paints |
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Contract No: | FAIR-CT97-3778 |
| Date Prepared: | December 2001, May 2000 | |
| Source: | Final Report Second Annual Progress Report |
Introduction
The overall aim of the project has been to produce plant protein binders, principally from sweet lupins, with functional and technical properties tailored to meet industrial requirements in the paper and paint industry and then to evaluate the combined economic and technical feasibility of producing plant protein binders in this way
The project has been organised with a European and an inter-disciplinary approach in order to develop the whole processing chain from seed to application tests of end products. The work content involved laboratory research, pilot plant optimisation and production of proteins and co-products from aqueous processed seeds and pre-solvent extracted seeds. The co-products were evaluated for feed applications while the protein functionality has been tailored in line with the industrial partner's requirements for the paper and paint industries. Marked research, technical and economic feasibility studies were included as an integrated part of the development process.
The methodology applied in the project can best be described as an interactive process based on intensive feedback between product development, end-product users and economic and technical feasibility studies. A central point in the project has been product development based on "Green Chemistry" aiming at an optimal utilisation of the seeds and development of environmental sustainable process technologies and chains.
Activities Pilot plant processing lines covered all processes from seed dehulling to production of highly purified and modified proteins. The resulting products have been evaluated after processing by a number of routes including dry fractionation and purification, mild aqueous protein purification, pre-solvent extraction followed by aqueous purification and chemical modification. The corresponding protein products and co-products have been thoroughly analysed with respect to chemical composition and functionality. The results show a broad range of opportunities to produce tailored protein binders with different functionality from European grown lupins. Comparison of the new products with commercial binders demonstrates that both new and competitive functionality's can be obtained based on lupin proteins.
The different prototype protein products represent lupin protein concentrates (LPCs) and different lupin protein isolates (LIPs), which include unmodified references and modified protein prototype products. The modification technologies evaluated included physical, chemical and enzymatic modifications.
Results
Paper applications The potential replacement of binders, such as starches, CMC, PVA or other proteins, used in the paper industry has been a main objective of the project. A new protein based binder has to be comparable or better in terms of quality and price than the binders used at present. The potential European market for these new binders has been estimated to be around 80,000 tons per year, with a price of between 0.8 to 2.0 Euro per kg.
Analysis and technical requirements for various protein binder systems (protein concentrates, isolates and chemical modified proteins) have been evaluated as protein solutions and coating colours with the focus on the most important functionality's: stability of solution, maximum solids, pH dependence, temperature dependence, time dependence. Further studies concerning the use of the protein products as powder have been evaluated and the results indicate an appreciable improvement in stability as well as a reduction in problems from microbial contamination.
Based on the colour property studies application tests have been carried out evaluating run-ability and paper quality. Parameters such as dynamic and static water retention and blade pressure have been evaluated in such trials using roughness, IGT-surface strength, gloss, brightness and bending length as the main parameters that have been evaluated in paper quality tests.
It was concluded from pilot trials that the most promising binders for paper applications were those based on physical modifications of LPC and chemically modified LPI. When considering substituting binders and thickeners such as CMC, the LPC products have an estimated production price of 1.1 Euro/kg, whereas chemically modified LPI has an approximately price of 2.5 to 4.0 Euro/kg depending on the degree of modification.
Paint applications A main objective of this part of the activity was the creation of biological base recipes based on lupin proteins as the primary binder for decorative paints. For the paint applications the results indicated that specific protein film forming properties can be tailored to produce various gel and rubber-like behaviour. For such paint formulations properties such as short drying time, viscosity, viscosity stability, covering ability, flexibility and colour set-off can be reached individually by selected chemical modification of LPI. It has however not been possible during the project to prepare a 100% biological base recipe for market assessment combining all requirements. The main difficulty has been the combination of drying time, viscosity stability and colour set off.
Co-products Co-products in terms of "non binding' proteins, minor constituents and dietary fibres have been thoroughly analysed in order to create a basis for development of new value added products such as "low energy foods", water-binding components and emulsifiers. So-called "non starch polysaccharides" (NSP) or poly- and oligosaccharide prototype products have been produced in pilot scale and analysed.
Production trials with growing mink fed co-products from selected protein productions alone or in combination with rapeseed-based products have been carried out in order to have an indicative market pricing of the by-product in feed applications. Selected combinations of lupin co-products and oilseed meal have been demonstrated to be nutritionally competitive to optimised existing fish protein based products.
Economical evaluation The European production of lupins is around 100000 tons per annum. The crop is primarily produced in East European countries but some production also takes place in Spain, Germany and France. Production of lupins is very low in Denmark and the UK.
This economic analysis including system analysis, cost analysis and sensitivity analysis, has been focused on seven (pilot scale) optimised production scenarios of which the basic input in all processes is European grown sweet lupin seeds. The seven scenarios are based on dry processed lupins for production of LPC flour containing approximately 55% protein, which is one scenario. A further six scenarios are based on processing of LPC flour and pre-solvent extracted flour, which include physical modification of LPC flour, production of native protein isolates (LPI) and feed, enzyme modification of LPI and feed, chemical modifications of LPI and feed, and a scenario including the potential production of LPI, oligo-saccharide based hydro colloids and feed.
All model productions have an intake of 1,000 kg of lupin seeds per hour, which corresponds to a yearly processing of 7260 tons. The protein products are not aimed at the final end user but intermediate products for industrial use, with applications of proteins for paper, paint and bindings. The economic analysis shows that production of LPC and LPI from lupins could be economically viable based on the technical and economic project results.
The total European market potential for plant protein binders including paper coatings and decorative paints has been estimated to approximately 100000 tonnes per year, which corresponds to 200 to 400 Ktonnes (Kt) lupin seed per year, well above the present production of lupin seeds in Europe. But, as each economic scenario is based on a input of around 7 Kt seeds per year supply of raw material seams not to be an initial limiting factor.
It is however clear that each protein market segment has significantly different requirements in terms of functionality, costs and supply, and that further highly specific product development for each segment will be necessary in order to approach these markets. In this respect it is difficult to estimate the costs of research and development needed in each area in order to service the market. Development of these types of products in specific markets will depend on the volume required and rate of entry of the new products into the market place.
Objectives
The overall aim of the project is to produce plant protein binders, principally from sweet lupins, with functional and technical properties tailored to meet industrial requirements in the paper and paint industry and to evaluate the combined economic and technical feasibility in producing plant protein binders.
Activities
The project is organised as a European inter-disciplinary approach for development of the whole processing chain from seed to end products. The work content involves pilot plant optimisation and production of proteins and by products from aqueous processed seeds. The by-products are evaluated in feed applications and the protein functionality is tailored in co-operation with the industrial partner's requirements in the paper and paint industries. Market research, technical and economic feasibility is used as an integrated part of the development process.
The methodology applied in the project can best be described as an interactive process based on intensive feedback between product development, end-product users and economic and technical feasibility studies. A central point in the project is product development based on "Green Chemistry" aiming at an optimal utilisation of the seeds and development of environmental sustainable process technologies and chains.
Progress
Principally 15 different processing lines and the resulting products have been evaluated based on respectively dry fractionation and purification, mild aqueous protein purification, solvent extraction followed by aqueous purification and chemical modification. The corresponding products and co-products have been thoroughly analysed with respect to chemical composition and functionality. The results show a broad range of opportunities to produce tailored protein binders with different functionality. Comparison to commercial binders demonstrates that both new and competitive functionality's can be obtained based on lupin proteins.
The 15 different prototype protein products represent 5 different lupin protein concentrates (LPC) and 10 different lupin protein isolates (LIP), which include unmodified references and modified protein prototype products. The modification technologies evaluated include physical-, chemical- and enzymatic modifications.
It has been concluded that the most promising binders for paper applications are based on physical and chemical modifications of LPC, when considering substituting thickeners and CMC, due to relations between functionality and costing. For the paint applications the preliminary results indicate that the specific film forming properties requested in the market with respect to flexibility and colour set-off can be reached by selected chemical modification of LPI. Economical evaluation of the modification process shows that the additional costs of modification is highly depended on the use of regent and that process optimisation is needed in order to realise the potential of the process.
Co-products in terms of "non binding" proteins, minor constituents and dietary fibres have been thoroughly analysed in order to create a basis for development of new value added products such as "low energy foods", water-binding components and emulsifiers. Further production trials with growing mink fed by-products from selected protein binder production alone or in combination with rapeseed-based products have been initiated in order to have an indicative market prising of the by-product in feed applications.
Conclusions
For two application tests in paper, analysis and technical requirements to different protein binder systems (protein concentrates, isolates and chemical modified proteins) have been evaluated or are under evaluation as protein solutions and coating colours with focus on the most important functionality's; stability of solution, maximum solids, pH dependence, temperature dependence and time dependence. Further studies of adding the protein products as powder have been evaluated and the results indicate an appreciated improvement in stability as well as a reduction in previous problems with microbial contamination. .
For application tests in paints, significant improvements have been achieved since the first set of formulations, with respect to microbial contamination, drying time, viscosity, viscosity stability, covering ability and flexibility. Further the second formulation recipe including chemical modified protein shows a significant improvements in film forming, flexibility and colour set-off.
Future actions
From the principal 15 different prototype protein binders developed and produced in pilot scale during the reporting period, the most feasible prototypes will be selected for optimisation and application tests in the final reporting period. The criteria for selection will basically be on technical and economic feasibility, reflecting the different criteria set-up in protein binder applications in paper and decorative paint applications respectively. The selection of prototypes and details of the future actions will take place at a progress review meeting after the end of the present reporting period, May 2000. The results of the present reporting period indicate however that the most promising prototypes for paper applications are based on modified LPC whereas modified LPI shows very promising properties in paint applications.
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