Summary: The applicability of protein‐rich press cake from mechanical seed oil production is limited because of its relatively high residual oil content. To overcome this drawback, pumpkin and sunflower press cakes were deoiled at room temperature by using two green solvents, namely ethanol and isopropyl alcohol. Hexane, which is mostly used in the plant oil industry, was used as a reference. The derived meals were analysed regarding composition as well as with respect to technofunctional properties such as water‐binding capacity, water solubility, nitrogen solubility and colour. Extraction efficiencies of more than 94% were achieved once the solvents were refreshed during extraction. In contrast to pumpkin meal, solvent‐specific differences in the residual oil content of sunflower press cake were discovered, which was lowest for hexane and highest for ethanol. The water‐binding capacity and nitrogen solubility of the meals were improved after solvent extraction. The results indicate that it is possible to replace hexane with more sustainable green solvents such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol to extract residual oil from sunflower and pumpkin press cake.

The aim of the present study was to texturise protein from sunflower press cake (SPC) for being consumed as dry snack or, in its hydrated state, as a meat analogue. In preliminary experiments, feed moisture (15–25 g 100 g−1) and extrusion temperature (180 °C–200 °C) were varied when processing commercial sunflower protein flour with a protein content of 51.8 g per 100 g dry matter using low moisture single-screw extrusion. The extrudates were analysed with regard to specific mechanical energy needs, texture properties in dry and hydrated state, colour, expansion ratio and water binding capacity. Extrusion parameters for achieving maximum expansion, textural force and minimal product moisture were found to be 180 °C and 15 g 100 g−1. Consequently, texturised protein was derived from deoiled SPC using these extrusion parameters. Initial deoiling of the press cake was necessary as it improved texturisation; a higher SME input reached led to increased cross-linking of the protein matrix. The light coloured and significantly expanded extrudates with high water binding capacity and could serve as basis for further development of snack products or meat analogues.

Sustainability in the food chain and the prevention of food losses is an issue of increasing importance. There is a large number of processing by-products where innovative strategies are helpful for transferring these losses into a consumable state. In a step-by-step approach, this current study focused on the sensory properties of blends of sunflower press cake and whey, fermented with different consortia of microorganisms and intended for being used as a basis for a savory spread. In the first part of the work, blends fermented with six co-cultures from lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were characterized by free choice profiling and quantitative descriptive analysis. The respective results were used to modify the formulation and to select the fermentation cultures that were promising from a sensory point of view. Subsequent investigations allowed reducing sample dimensionality further, and the study was concluded by affective hedonic tests and a check-all-that-apply set-up performed by consumers. The final experiment also comprised a just-about-right approach performed for specifically evaluating spreadability. The outcome of the entire study indicates that it is possible to tailor attractive foods from by-products, provided that the need for final optimizations regarding palatability is considered.