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Marigold flowers, or as they're commonly called in India, "genda phool," may become an unanticipated superproduct for proteins, as reported by new research published in ACS Food Science & Technology. The ornamental industry is a major producer of floral waste, which has been a major concern in the upcycling research of the University of Georgia and collaborators into Calendula officinalis.

Dried marigold powder has almost 9% protein and has high extraction efficiency > 92%. These proteins, especially the dominant albumin fraction, possess a high degree of stability when exposed to heat up to 221°F, have high emulsifying and water/oil holding capacities, and are potentially antioxidants. They also add umami flavor to foods, which is ideal for bakery products, sauces, dairy products, and more processed foods.

Although lower in protein compared to pea or soy, the sustainability factor, that is, using ‘waste’ flowers as a functional ingredient, has added appeal in the era of growing protein demand. While studies and scaling are needed, experts state that marigold is a strong possibility to be a new green and edifying protein in the superfood protein market.