Valorization of potato by-products as a source of plant proteins: novel extraction techniques and potential applications

The potential of potato by-products as a protein source presents an exciting opportunity to explore new methods and technologies to extract, enhance, and incorporate this valuable protein source into a variety of food products. This article reviews the progress in research related to potato and other tuber plant protein extraction technology. It also explores some conventional and novel techniques for plant protein extraction that may be applicable to tuber protein extraction. For extraction from solid matter, conventional methods such as acid-base extraction with heat assistance often mean a waste of energy, solvent, and destruction of protein structure. Enzyme-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and pulsed electric field extraction have their own advantages as novel processing methods. For liquid by-products of tuber plants, precipitation, membrane filtration and chromatography are applied to extract proteins. By combining protein extraction with various biomass extraction methods, every part of the potatoes can be fully utilized, minimizing waste. This approach offers the opportunity to optimize the utilization of all potatoes components, reduce waste, generate additional revenue streams and ultimately increase the sustainability and effectiveness of the process.