Incorporation of Protein Hydrolysate into Rapeseed Meal-Based Materials to Improve Flexibility

This study investigates the potential of rapeseed meal, a protein-rich by-product of the rapeseed oil industry, as a raw material for the development of renewable materials. Due to the presence of antinutritional compounds, rapeseed meal is underutilized, primarily in low-value applications such as animal feed. In this work, rapeseed meal protein hydrolysates were enzymatically obtained and incorporated as plasticizers into rapeseed meal-based materials to improve their mechanical properties, water permeability, and thermal stability. Collagen hydrolysate has also been utilized as a low-cost additive to further enhance the material performance. The glycerol content was reduced to address permeability and migration issues associated with hydrophilic plasticizers. Mechanical testing, aerobic biodegradation behaviour, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the promising properties of rapeseed meal in developing cost-effective, biodegradable materials for potential industrial applications.