Extraction of Seaweed Functional Proteins through eco innovative methods by understanding cell structure

英国的粮食系统占温室气体排放总量的20%，使用70%的耕地。动物蛋白生产和消费的土地足迹和人均饮食温室气体排放量约为植物蛋白生产和消费的两倍。独立的英国气候变化委员会强调，需要可持续的饮食转变，以实现到2050年的净零碳排放。采用替代蛋白质可以实现可持续的饮食转变，其中海藻（以干重计含有高达47%的蛋白质）作为可持续的食物蛋白质来源可以发挥变革性作用。然而，有三个主要的障碍需要克服--（1）由于细胞壁结构导致的蛋白质可提取性差（=高成本），（2）对类金属含量例如类金属的知识有限（=食品安全问题）和（3）提取的蛋白质的潜在质量问题（=感官）。_该项目将为生态创新解决方案提供初步线索，以改善来自英国的海藻的蛋白质的可提取性和感官质量_。**重要原因 **：到2050年，在地球范围内，需要增加50-70%的粮食产量，以保持目前的消费趋势。海藻蛋白质不会与粮食作物争夺土地和自然资源;海藻种植可以抵消富营养化并消除二氧化碳。海藻的最大蛋白质产量（2.5-7.5吨/公顷/年）可能是小麦或豆类的2倍和5倍。欧洲和英国占全球海藻产量的不到1%，有进一步创新的空间，特别是对于拥有广阔海岸线的英国。提高海藻蛋白质的可提取性将使其成为更经济实惠的替代蛋白质来源，并具有更大的市场渗透率。

The UK food system contributes 20% of total GHG emission and use 70% of arable land. The land footprint and dietary GHG emissions per capita for animal protein production and consumption is approximately twice that of plant protein production and consumption. The independent UK Committee on Climate Change has stressed the need for a sustainable diet shift to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050\. The adoption of _alternative proteins enables a sustainable diet shift_ where seaweed (containing up to 47% protein on a dry weight basis) as sustainable food protein source can play a transformative role. However, there are three major barriers to overcome -- (1) poor protein extractability due to cell wall structure (= high cost), (2) restricted knowledge of metalloid content e.g. metalloids (=food safety concern) and (3) potential quality issue (= sensory) of the extracted protein. _This project will deliver initial leads for eco-innovative solutions to improve extractability and sensory quality of protein from the UK-sourced seaweed_.**Why important**: 50-70% more food needs to be produced by 2050 within planetary boundaries to maintain current consumption trends. Seaweed proteins do not compete with food crops for land and natural resources; and seaweed cultivation counteracts eutrophication and remediates carbon dioxide. Maximal protein yields from seaweed (2.5-7.5 ton/ha/year) could be 2x and 5x compared to wheat or legume. Europe and UK contribute <1% of global seaweed production with room for further innovation, particularly for the UK with an extensive coastline. Improving extractability of seaweed proteins will make them more affordable alternative protein sources with greater market penetration.