Keratin-based products and methods for their productions

摘要

A process for producing partially modified and partially hydrolysed keratin, the process comprises the steps of (a) solubilising keratin from a keratin-fibre containing starting material in an aqueous solution using a reducing agent at alkaline pH, and (b) partially modifying the SH groups of the solubilised keratin by alkylation, characterised in that the solubilised keratin is partially hydrolysed as a result of the conditions of steps (a) and (b) and an optional further hydrolysis step (c), whereby the solubilised keratin is partially hydrolysed such that at least 50% of the solubilised keratin molecules has a molecular weight higher than 1 kDa and less than 10.4 kDa and whereby the solubilised keratin has molecular weight distribution that is essentially equal to a distribution of molecular weights of keratin that is obtained when 40 grams of cleaned and dried poultry feathers are solubilised in one litre of an aqueous solution of 0.05-0.5 M sodium sulphide at a pH between pH 10.0 and pH 13.5, at a temperature between 40 and 80°C for 30-90 minutes.