Title : Buckwheat protein concentrate as a functional ingredient for future food and nutrition applications
Abstract:
Buckwheat is a widely recognized pseudocereal belonging to the family Polygonaceae, predominantly cultivated in cold and mountainous regions of the world, particularly in China and Russia. According to 2023 statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, global buckwheat production is estimated at approximately 2.2 million metric tons. Buckwheat is rich in bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, tannins, phytosterols, and diverse antioxidants, and is also a valuable protein source containing a complete profile of essential amino acids. Its protein is noted for high biological value and superior nutritional quality relative to most cereal proteins. In this context, the present research focused on the production of buckwheat protein concentrate from flour using an alkaline extraction approach. Protein extraction was conducted across pH ranges of 8-12 and extraction times of 1-3 h, and the optimal parameter combination was determined based on protein yield and concentration. The optimised concentrate can be incorporated into a variety of food products. Under optimal conditions, approximately 8% protein yield with about 66.7% recovery was achieved, and the resulting concentrate contained nearly 80% protein. These results indicate that process optimisation of alkaline extraction represents an efficient method for obtaining high-quality buckwheat protein concentrate suitable for different food applications. Furthermore, the high protein purity, favourable functional attributes, and preserved structural characteristics of the optimised concentrate suggest significant potential for its potential for incorporation into nutritionally enhanced food formulations, supporting the development of future functional foods.
