Can Vegetable Oil Byproducts Be Upcycled?

By Sophia Busam

Did you know that the byproducts from the oil extraction of seeds like soybeans, sunflower, and rapeseed (aka canola) account for 80% of the waste generated from these crops?¹ Commonly referred to as oilseed, or press, cakes, they are the protein-rich solid that remains after pressing seeds for oil.

The Current State

You’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t have at least one kind of vegetable oil in their pantry. In fact, in 2023, more than 19 million tons of vegetable oil were consumed in the US.² To meet this demand, close to 95 million tons of oilseed cakes are produced as a byproduct in the process. That’s no small amount! Many of them are edible too, boasting a high nutritional value and providing a good source of protein.³ Currently, they are most commonly incorporated into animal feed for added protein. However, there is increasing research and development to understand how we can leverage the nutrients in oilseed cakes for human consumption.

An Established Framework: Soybeans

Last year, Americans consumed 12.25 million tons of soybean oil, which is a little over 60% of the total amount of vegetable oil. As a result, these oilseed cakes (commonly referred to as soy meal) present a high-volume side stream. They are nutrient rich, with high protein content (30 – 50%) and dietary fiber.⁴ There has also been relatively more established research and development focused on how to valorize soy meal compared to other oilseeds given its high volume.

While traditionally used for animal feed, soy meal has become increasingly used in plant-based meat products. In fact, about half of the most popular plant-based burgers from 2020 contained soy protein concentrate derived from soy meal.⁵ It is also a common ingredient in plant-based meatballs, sausages, and nuggets. Since there is a high volume of availability annually and a relatively low cost of production, it has been a relatively easy ingredient to incorporate into recipes. Given its more established use today, it provides a good example for how other oilseed side streams can be valorized.

Future Developments: Rapeseed & Sunflower Oilseed Cakes

Rapeseed seed cakes are similar to soy meal, and as a result have similar potential and application. Previously, there have been barriers in production since some seed cakes contain compounds that leave an undesirable taste or reduce its nutritional value.⁶ However, scientists have recently found ways to control or reduce the presence of these compounds, allowing for wider adoption as an alternative protein source.⁷ Companies are also beginning to take notice of its untapped potential as a plant protein source. CanolaPRO is a plant protein isolate that has been developed for application in meat and dairy alternatives.

Additionally, 60% of sunflower seeds produced in the US are crushed for sunflower oil.⁸ There is ongoing research to understand how these seed cakes can be leveraged in tandem with other alternative plant proteins to design more texturally appealing plant-based proteins.⁹ Seven Sundays, an Australian cereal company, also offers a sunflower cereal that incorporates these seed cakes. Evidently, diverse seed cakes have diverse potential and applications for product development.

Meeting Consumer Demand: Focus on High-Volume Side Streams for a Sustainable Future

Looking ahead, there is incredible potential for upcycling this high-volume side stream from the vegetable oil production process. There is a wide variety of oilseed types, high protein content, and regular availability. It is certainly an attractive ingredient to consider for plant-based meats, dairy alternatives, and more. It’s also on trend. 98% of global consumers are trying to reduce food waste¹⁰ and 61% feel brands, stores, and supermarkets should do more to help reduce waste.¹¹ Interested in learning more about how to turn food waste into profit and drive innovation with value-added solutions? Reach out to us here.

Sources

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/rapeseed-meal ↩︎
2. https://www.statista.com/statistics/301044/edible-oils-consumption-united-states-by-type/ ↩︎
3. https://gfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Sidestreams-analysis.pdf?_gl=1%2A1rao4bw%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2AMTc1NTAyOTE2NC4xNzIxNjcyODEz%2A_ga_TT1WCK8ETL%2AMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4xLjEuMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4wLjAuMA.. ↩︎
4. https://gfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Sidestreams-analysis.pdf?_gl=1%2A1rao4bw%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2AMTc1NTAyOTE2NC4xNzIxNjcyODEz%2A_ga_TT1WCK8ETL%2AMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4xLjEuMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4wLjAuMA.. ↩︎
5. https://gfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Sidestreams-analysis.pdf?_gl=1%2A1rao4bw%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2AMTc1NTAyOTE2NC4xNzIxNjcyODEz%2A_ga_TT1WCK8ETL%2AMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4xLjEuMTcyMTY3MjgxMS4wLjAuMA.. ↩︎
6. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-28661-6 ↩︎
7. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2023/05/11/Rapeseed-cake-can-be-altered-to-become-an-alternative-protein-source-study-shows ↩︎
8. https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1750-3841.15719 ↩︎
9. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2022/08/26/taste2meat-upcycles-sunflower-press-cakes-into-plant-based-meat-hybrids ↩︎
10. https://www.kerry.com/about/our-company/news-and-media/2023/kerry-releases-new-food-waste-research.html ↩︎
11. https://www.capgemini.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Final-Web-Version-Food-Waste.pdf ↩︎