Sunflower meal is a byproduct of sunflower oil production. Although it is nutritious and well-suited for people who are allergic to nut-based flours, it is not utilized as a baking ingredient. The main culprit for this is chlorogenic acid, which turns green during baking when it reacts with amino acid in the dough.
Our group collaborates with the Senger lab at Chapman to develop methods of utilizing sunflower flour and sunflower butter as a baking ingredient. We have discovered an enzyme called a chlorogenic acid esterase that breaks down chlorogenic acid into quinic acid and caffeic acid, which prevents greening during baking.
Chlorogenic acid hydrolyisis by a chlorogenic acid esterase (CGA esterase).
Current work aims to improve chlorogenic acid breakdown and to expand ways sunflower meal can be used as a baking product.
Image of untreated, green cookies (top) and CGA esterase treated cookies (bottom).