US Patent 10021897 Protein feed compositions and methods of making same

Protein feed compositions and methods of making the protein feed compositions are disclosed herein. The protein feed compositions may comprise zein and are derived from a starch-based feedstock-to-ethanol fermentation conversion process such as a corn-to-ethanol conversion process. Methods of making the compositions include performing a starch-based feedstock-to-ethanol fermentation process in a manner that reduces the total heat exposure of the components of the protein composition as compared to a similar process which uses a cooking process to saccharify starch and/or a distillation process to separate the fermentation beer into ethanol and whole stillage. The process may include centrifugation of the fermentation beer resulting in a bulk solids mixture, extraction of a protein composition from the resulting bulk solids mixture, and desolventizing the extracted protein composition.