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Abstract

Global food security faces mounting pressures from climate variability, geopolitical conflicts, price volatility, and diminishing arable land, resulting in chronic hunger for over 724 million people worldwide in 2022. This thesis investigates the potential for extracting valuable nutrients from currently underutilised green leaf biomass from harvested crops and intermediate crops through biorefinery processes.Our findings reveal that broccoli and kale leaves represent significant untapped biomass resources, though economic constraints currently limit commercial harvesting, particularly for broccoli. These leaves contain substantial amounts of dietary fibre but comparatively lower protein levels than intermediate crops. Among biorefinery fractions from intermediate crops, the green protein and white protein fractions yielded protein compositions suitable for human and animal nutrition, predominantly consisting of RuBisCO-rich fractions.Both harvest timing and fertilisation significantly influenced protein content and extractability, highlighting the importance of strategic planning when selecting biomass for protein extraction. Regarding phenolic compounds, the green juice, white juice, and brown juice fractions demonstrated the highest concentrations, primarily in the form of flavonoids. In broccoli, these interannual variations are likely attributable to differences in soil conditions, light exposure and temperature variations.Although not presented as a comprehensive solution to global food insecurity, this research demonstrates that systematic utilisation of currently discarded leaf biomass could significantly contribute to more sustainable food systems. By improving resource efficiency, enhancing the nutritional quality of food products, and providing alternative protein sources, the environmental impact could be significantly reduced compared to conventional animal protein production.

Keywords

green leafy biomass; intermediate crops; biorefinery; phenolic compounds; dietary fibre; green protein; food; feed

Published in

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae
2025, number: 2025:25
Publisher: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Food Science
Horticulture

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.10o14as3v8
  • ISBN: 978-91-8046-460-4
  • eISBN: 978-91-8046-510-6

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132965