Solubility enhancement of milk protein isolate by sodium caseinate addition: Comparison between wet- and dry-blending approaches

Physicochemical properties of micellar casein retentates generated at different microfiltration temperatures

Processing temperature has a significant influence on the composition and functionality of the resulting streams following microfiltration (MF) of skim milk. In this study, MF and diafiltration (DF) were performed at 4 or 50°C to produce β-casein (β-CN)-depleted and nondepleted (i.e., native casein profile) micellar casein isolate retentates, respectively. Microfiltration combined with extensive DF resulted in a 40% depletion of β-CN at 4°C, whereas no β-CN depletion occurred at 50°C. Microfiltration at 4°C led to higher transmission of calcium into permeates, with retentate generated at 4°C containing less total calcium compared with retentate generated at 50°C, based on the volume of retentate remaining. Higher heat stability at 120°C was measured for retentates generated at 4°C compared with those at 50°C, across all pH values measured. Retentates generated at 4°C also had significantly lower ionic calcium values at each pH compared with those generated at 50°C. Higher apparent viscosities at 4°C were measured for retentates generated at 4°C compared with retentates generated at 50°C, likely due to increased voluminosity of β-CN-depleted casein micelles. The results of this study provide new information on how changing the composition of MF retentate, by appropriate control of processing temperature and DF, can alter physicochemical properties of casein micelles, with potential implications for ingredient functionality.

Improving rehydration properties of spray-dried milk protein isolates by supplementing soluble caseins

Spray-dried milk protein isolates (MPIs) are important dairy ingredients but may not have desirable rehydration properties for industrial applications. In the present study, rehydration properties of MPIs were improved by spray-drying MPI dispersions containing different amounts of soluble caseins in the form of derivatized MPI (dMPI). dMPI was prepared by alkalizing MPI dispersions to pH 11.0 and subsequently acidifying to pH 6.8 (the pH-cycle). All the spray-dried MPIs had the similar bulk density (around 0.33 g/cm^-3), composition, size distribution (1-100 µm), and SEM morphology. However, the decrease of hydrodynamic diameter, dissolution of total solids and proteins, and disruption of particles during the dynamic rehydration were accelerated as the dMPI content increased, indicating the improved rehydration properties. The improvement in rehydration properties was not due to the wettability that decreased as the dMPI:MPI mass ratio changed from 0:8 to 8:0, but resulted from the reduced cross-linking of casein micelles on powder surface and the increased surface porosity during the hydration as observed for partially hydrated samples. The present work may assist industrial applications of spray-dried MPIs.

Influence of Glycomacropeptide on Rehydration Characteristics of Micellar Casein Concentrate Powder

Glycomacropeptide (GMP) shows potential for enhancing the rehydration properties of high-protein dairy powders due to its hydrophilic nature. This study involved formulating micellar casein concentrate (MCC) solutions (8.6% final protein content) with 0, 10, and 20% GMP as a percentage of total protein, and investigated the physicochemical and rehydration properties of the resultant freeze-dried powders (P-MCC-0G, P-MCC-10G, and P-MCC-20G, respectively). The surface charges of caseins in the control MCC and 10 or 20% GMP blended solutions were −25.8, −29.6, and −31.5 mV, respectively. Tablets prepared from P-MCC-10G or P-MCC-20G powders displayed enhanced wettability with contact angle values of 80.6° and 79.5°, respectively, compared with 85.5° for P-MCC-0G. Moreover, blending of GMP with MCC resulted in faster disintegration of powder particles during rehydration (i.e., dispersibility) compared to P-MCC-0G. Faster and more extensive release of caseins from powder particles into solution was evident with the increasing proportion of GMP, with the majority of GMP released within the first 15 min of rehydration. The results of this study will contribute to further development of formulation science for achieving enhanced solubility characteristics of high-protein dairy powder ingredients, such as MCC.

Updating insights into the rehydration of dairy-based powder and the achievement of functionality

Dairy-based powder had considerable development in the recent decade. Meanwhile, the increased variety of dairy-based powder led to the complex difficulties of rehydrating dairy-based powder, which could be the poor wetting or dissolution of powder. To solve these various difficulties, previous studies investigated the rehydration of powder by mechanical and chemical methods on facilitating rehydration, while strategies were designed to improve the rate-limiting rehydration steps of different powder. In this review, special emphasis is paid to the surface and structure of the dairy-based powder, which was accountable for understanding rehydration and the rate-limiting step. Besides, the advantage and disadvantage of methods employed in rehydration were described and compared. The achievement of the powder functionality was finally discussed and correlated with the rehydration methods. It was found that the surface and structure of dairy-based powder were decided by the components and production of powder. Post-drying methods like agglomeration and coating can tailor the surface and structure of powder afterwards to obtain better rehydration. The merit of the mechanical method is that it can be applied to rehydrate dairy-based powder without any addition of chemicals. Regarding chemical methods, calcium chelation is proved to be an effective chemical in rehydration casein-based powder.