Preparation of wood apple (Feronia limonia L.) seed protein concentrate and evaluation of its nutritional and functional characteristics

Wood apple (Feronia limonia L.) seed protein concentrate (WSPC) was prepared and its properties were compared with the wood apple seed meal (WSM). The protein content was found to be 33.79 and 77 g/100 g in WSM and WSPC respectively. WSPC was good source of essential amino acids leucine, phenyl alanine, valine, iso-leucine and threonine. Protein extractability of WSPC showed optimum WSPC to water ratio of 1:50 (w/v), over 60 min. Maximum protein extractability (95 g/100 g) was observed at pH 12 and minimum (11 g/100 g) at pH 6. Protein precipitability was maximum (91 g/100 g) at pH 5.5. A higher buffer capacity of WSPC was observed in the pH range 6 - 2. SDS-PAGE of the WSM and WSPC showed 9 protein bands ranging from 205 kDa to 12 kDa. Higher water absorption, lower oil absorption capacity, stable foam and presence of essential minerals of WSPC favour its industrial application.