Maceration and fractionation technologies in a demonstration-scale green biorefinery: Proteins, sugars, and lipids extraction and energy efficiency

Different configurations of maceration and wet fractionation of green biomasses were assessed at a demonstration scale intending to extend the extraction of leaf protein concentrate. Two maceration methods, one-stage and a multistage maceration, were investigated on six distinct green forage types. The study aimed to enhance the extraction of leaf protein concentrate for use as a soybean replacement in monogastric feed, while also extracting simple sugars and lipids for potential further value creation. The use of multistage maceration scenarios promoted a more robust mechanical disintegration of the plant biomass, leading to higher extraction of the soluble compounds. The highest crude protein extraction efficiencies were seen in red clover (29 %) and festulolium (28 %). While grass fiber had higher lignocellulosic content than legume fiber, additional maceration and fractionation did not further break down cellulose, which remained predominantly in the fiber fraction across all biomasses. The higher energy requirements associated with more advanced processes are offset by the significant increase in protein yields. • Maceration methods were tested to improve the extraction from grasses and legumes. • Protein, sugar, and lipid extraction were evaluated for six different biomasses. • The highest crude protein extraction yielded 29 % of the total protein content. • Better performance was achieved when processing festulolium and red clover. • Higher energy consumption was offset by higher component extraction.