Extraction of proteins from slaughterhouse by-products: Influence of operating conditions on functional properties

This study investigated the extraction and functional properties of proteins from slaughterhouse by-products: pork lungs, beef lungs and mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM). The extraction yield was investigated as a function of pH, temperature and time. Membrane technology was used for purification of proteins from pork and beef lungs, while for MDCM a method based on PI was applied. In the three cases, yields of protein recovery were between 48 and 55% (w/w). The functional properties of the protein concentrates were compared to those of some commercial ingredients. Proteins from pork lungs and MDCM exhibited better gelling properties than egg white and beef plasma, while beef and pork lungs displayed very good emulsifying properties, similar to Na-caseinates. As the methods developed are easy to scale-up, the use of by-product proteins at industrial scale appears to be an interesting opportunity to obtain added value slaughterhouse by-products.