Integrated process for recovering food protein, nutraceuticals and renewable fuel from Canadian oil seeds

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Balancing the use of crops for food or fuel is an ethical and economic challenge. Increased biofuel production led to a sharp rise in food prices, further impoverishing the poor in developing countries. Canada is in a position to simultaneously increase the production of food and renewable fuels. My research program focuses on the development of novel technologies for value-added processing of Canadian oilseed crops into food, fuel and nutraceuticals.***Conventional hexane extraction of oil is under pressure, as hexane is highly flammable, major air pollutant. Aqueous extraction processes have been unsuccessful, as most of the oil ends up as an intractable oil/water emulsion. Its conversion to biodiesel is possible, but conventional biodiesel is a nuisance for fuel producers, as it can only be incorporated into petro-diesel at low levels.***Canada is the largest exporter of canola and mustard. Their oil consist of triglycerides, that can be hydrolyzed to release three fatty acid molecules, consisting of a hydrocarbon chain, typical of petro-diesel fuel, and a carboxylic acid group. Their decarboxylation-removal of the acid group-will result in “green diesel”.***Decarboxylation of vegetable oils in solvent has been demonstrated, and it fits into normal refinery practice for desulphurization of diesel fuel. We have recently demonstrated that it is possible to directly decarboxylate the oil in the aqueous emulsion.***I propose to develop an integrated process for the recovery of food grade protein products and fuel grade renewable diesel from yellow and oriental mustard, brassica carinata, camelina, and hemp based on aqueous extraction. The process will recover the proteins as edible protein isolates and binders, using an adaptation of our proven membrane process. The oil emulsion will be converted to green diesel by direct decarboxylation in a high-pressure catalytic process. The waste water will be treated by nanofiltration, to recover valuable minor components. ***Key to the process is the effective separation of the aqueous protein extract from the emulsion, and the challenge of catalytic conversion of the emulsion to hydrocarbons. Therefore, much of the work will be focused on developing phase separations and the direct decarboxylation process by improving the catalysts and the reaction conditions.***If successful, the process will encourage the production of mustard and brassica carinata in areas that are not well suited to the growing of canola, and thus improve the agricultural yield of the dry areas of the Prairies, by producing sustainable green fuel without reducing food production. The process could contribute up to a billion dollars to Canadian agriculture, and help the Mustard 21 goal of a $500 million/a mustard industry.***A key component of this proposed program is educating highly qualified professionals. Leveraging scholarship sources, the proposed work will train some 15 graduate food engineers from Canada, France and developing countries.**