Defatting strategies for chia protein production: effects on physicochemical properties

2025-12-01
Dirr, Simon
Karslioglu, Ozlem Ozmutlu
Ateş, Elif Gökçen
Öztop, Halil Mecit
The growing demand for sustainable plant-based proteins has highlighted chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.), offering 18–32 % protein content. This study evaluates protein extraction efficiency and functional properties across two types of chia product: organic partially defatted flour (O) and conventional whole full-fat seeds (C). Defatting methods included mechanical cold pressing (O_PD), hexane extraction (O_HEX, C_HEX), supercritical CO₂ with ethanol (C_SCF), and a non-defatted control (C_ND). Hexane extraction achieved the highest protein content (O_HEX: 67.1 %; C_HEX: 63.9 %) and foaming stability (76.85 %, 75.00 %), with minimal residual fat (0.10–0.40 %). Supercritical CO₂ yielded the highest protein recovery (44.6 %) and emulsion capacity (203.17 %), while O_PD and C_ND showed superior solubility at neutral pH. Functional properties varied significantly: O_HEX exhibited the highest water-holding capacity (794.86 %), and C_HEX demonstrated peak oil-binding capacity (473.92 %). These findings shows that both seed types and defatting method critically influence protein yield and functionality. While hexane extraction maximizes efficiency, its environmental drawbacks position supercritical CO₂ as an eco-friendly alternative, despite solubility trade-offs. This study provides actionable insights for optimizing plant-based protein ingredients by balancing extraction efficiency, functional performance, and sustainability goals across chia seed sources and processing technologies.
Citation Formats
S. Dirr, O. O. Karslioglu, E. G. Ateş, and H. M. Öztop, “Defatting strategies for chia protein production: effects on physicochemical properties,” Future Foods, vol. 12, pp. 0–0, 2025, Accessed: 00, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=105013641421&origin=inward.