Food uses of sunflower proteins

Commerical use of sunflower meal as a food product is dependent on the development of low chlorogenic acid cultivars and efficient procedures for dehulling the high oil cultivars and hybrids. Laboratory defatted sunflower flours have high protein contents, bland flavors, white colors at acid pH levels, and contain no antinutritive factors. Functional test data show that sunflower flours and protein concentrates have high salt solubility, oil absorption and oil emulsification. In rat feeding trials, the low lysine level in sunflower proteins has resulted in low protein efficiency ratios for sunflower diets and blends with cereals including bakery products. High weight gains are obtained for sunflower blends with legume and animal proteins, suggesting applications in milk and meat extenders and in soybean-based infant, formulas. Heat treatments, mechanical agitation, and emulsifiers were effective in solubilizing 80% of sunflower proteins in extended milk formulations, and the product was given high ratings in taste panel evaluations. Sunflower flour slurries show excellent whippability and foam stability, comparable to that of soybean protein isolate, but lack the ability to form a firm gel. Wieners supplemented with sunflower products have low shrinkage and cooking losses, but rate poorly in organoleptic tests. Texturization of sunflower flour by extrusion cooking gave fibrous chunks which were greyish in appearance, but had a chewy texture, a meat-like flavor, and gave low cooking losses in beef pattie formulations. Spun sunflower protein/casein (1:1) blends are superior to other vegetable proteins in shear strength, swellability and firmness. Sunflower flours are particularly deleterious to bread loaf characteristics. This effect can be partially overcome by autoclaving the flour, concentration of the protein, or addition of gluten, but the protein nutritive value of the supplemented bread is only marginally improved.