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Title: GUM AND PROTEIN ENRICHMENT FROM SICKLEPOD (CASSIA OBTUSIFOLIA) SEED BY FINE GRINDING AND SIEVING

Author
item Wu, Ying Victor
item ABBOTT, THOMAS - RETIRED ARS

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2004
Publication Date: 3/15/2005
Citation: Wu, Y., Abbott, T.P. 2005. Gum and protein enrichment from sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia) seed by fine grinding and sieving. Industrial Crops and Products. 21:387-390.

Interpretive Summary: Sicklepod is a weed that has become a severe problem in soybean production in the Southern United States. Although sicklepod continues to be a problem weed, the advent of herbicide-resistant soybeans has reduced the problem somewhat in the last few years. Economic incentives to clean soybeans prior to sale could generate a large amount of sicklepod seed. New uses for sicklepod seed could turn a disposal problem into a resource. Sicklepod seed contains a gum of commercial interest besides protein and oil. Fine grinding and sieving of sicklepod seed into fractions according to particle size enrich gum in the coarse fraction and enrich protein in the fine fraction and can make further processing more economical. This technology can benefit farmers, consumers and industries.

Technical Abstract: Sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia) is a weed species that has contaminated soybean and other crops. Although sicklepod continues to be a problem weed, the advent of herbicide-resistant soybeans has reduced the problem somewhat in the last few years. Sicklepod seed contains a gum of commercial interest in addition to protein and fat. An inexpensive process to enrich gum and protein contents of sicklepod seed is desirable for increased utilization and further processing. This study was conducted to determine whether fine grinding and sieving of sicklepod seed into separate fractions according to particle size could enrich gum and protein. Sicklepod seed was finely ground in a pin mill at different speeds, and the resulting ground seed was separated into various fractions according to particle size. Gum content increased with particle size, and protein content decreased with particle size. Fine grinding and sieving of sicklepod seed can enrich gum in the fraction with largest particle size and can enrich protein in the fraction with smallest particle size. Fine grinding and sieving of sicklepod seed can make further processing more economical.