Canola/rapeseed as a potential source of alternative protein

For the last several years, tremendous research continues to be undertaken for successful adaptation of plant proteins to replace animal proteins for the reasons of health, animal ethics, sustainability and environment protection. This has placed a heavy emphasis on developing an alternative to soy protein that gives desired nutrition and functionality. The nutritional quality and large production volumes of canola make it a promising option. This paper focuses on canola as a source of plant protein for food applications. Protein makes up 40–50% of the canola meal and has a balanced amino acid profile. However, the unique and complex composition of canola proteins makes their extraction technically challenging. We have discussed the major approaches for extraction of protein and the functional properties associated with the resultant products. Most of the protein in canola is water soluble however, optimization of processing is required to make it affordable. Producing a functional canola protein at an affordable price will largely depend on the availability of mildly processed canola meal. The successful marketing of canola protein depends on identifying its unique advantages. Lastly, meticulous evaluation of the market demand for high value protein products is critical for the success of commercial canola proteins.