13TSB_N4L2FS: Functional food and feed ingredients from green leaf tissue

Functional food and feed ingredients from green leaf tissue
Project Summary
Background
Green leaves contain chloroplasts, these organelles are enriched in galactolipids, (the most abundant lipid on the planet),
which carry omega-3 fatty acids, tocochromanols (vitamin E), a range of carotenoids with known health benefits, vitamin C,
and proteins. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that only between 1/6 and 1/4 of the beta-carotene in green leaf tissue is
bioaccessible. If this is the case, then only a fraction of the nutritional potential is being released when we consume leaf
material; this may be explained by the retention of cell wall material acting as a barrier to digestive enzymes.
One obvious way to increase the nutritional impact of green leaf tissue therefore is to recover chloroplasts from plant cells
and to convert these isolated organelles into functional food/feed/supplement ingredients. Despite the great potential of
chloroplasts to contribute to the human diet, we do not know what happens to them on consumption. Food manufacturers
and processors would not only be able to exploit these natural structures, they would be ideally placed to generate
innovative microstructures for the controlled delivery and release of lipophilic bioactives.
Recent work within Food Sciences at the University of Nottingham has highlighted the potential nutritional value of isolated
chloroplasts; only 4 g of chloroplasts contains the recommended adult daily nutrient intake for vitamins A, C E and omega-3
fatty acids.
Project Outline
The nutritional quality of chloroplasts recovered from cultivated vegetation (e.g. spinach leaved) and waste material (e.g.
grass clippings) will be compared. This will be achieved through compositional and ultrastructural analyses. The impact of
blanching leaf material on the quality of chloroplasts will also be established. Candidate wet preparations of chloroplasts
will then be converted into prototype ingredients, which will be tested for storage stability and for their compatibility within a
range of food/feed formulations.
Outputs
1. New data on the composition of chloroplasts from a range of materials
2. Process flow information for converting green leaf tissue into a novel chloroplast-based functional food ingredient
3. Performance indicators for the compatibility of this new, natural, ingredient, in a range of food/feed /supplement
formulations
4. Blueprint for scaling up production
5. Viable material for a large scale feeding trial

Chloroplasts are the abundant organelles, ubiquitous in green leaf tissue, that are responsible for converting light energy into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. What is not generally recognised is that they contain vitamins A, C and E, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. There is a growing demand for sustainably sourced, nutritious ingredients. Chloroplasts are potentially an untapped source of functional food/feed ingredients that could be recovered from cultivated or waste plant material. The aim of this feasibility study is to characterise chloroplasts extracted from green plant material (cultivated & waste) and to develop a viable market ingredient which will be assessed for it's application as a sustainably sourced functional ingredient with high protein content for use in the animal feed (global food security / sustainability) and human nutrition sectors. If successful the proposed product shall be further developed by Eminate and launched within two years from the end of this feasibility project. This project will reduce the risks associated with developing an innovative ingredient with a large potential impact in the food and animal feed markets.

Who will benefit and how?
1. Postdoctoral researcher - will develop analytical skills and gain knowledge in the area of biomaterial processing
2. Eminate (lead company) - will generate IP covering an innovative food/feed ingredient, and will create a blueprint for the
commercial manufacture of this prototype ingredient.
3. Food, Feed and supplements companies - access to a novel functional ingredient that contains a number of vitamins in
their natural state (preferred by the body)
4. Producers of leafy material that ends up as waste e.g. farmers, food manufacturers and the parks departments of county
councils - valorisation of waste
5. Consumers - improved health on consumption of this ingredient
6. Environment - the process of delivery vitamin A and E into the food supply chain will be benign compared with the
recovery of these oil soluble vitamins from the refining of edible oils (organic solvents and high temperatures).
7. Environment - reduced pressure on fish stocks thought the delivery of omega-3 fatty acids in this novel and renewable
functional food ingredient