Spontaneous interaction between whey protein isolate proteins and lactoferrin: Effect of heat denaturation

Application of pressure homogenization on whole human milk pasteurized by high hydrostatic pressure: Effect on protein aggregates in milk fat globule membrane and skim milk phases

This study explored the impact of homogenization (at pressures of 16, 30, and 45 MPa) on both raw and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)-treated human milk (HM). It focused on protein compositions and binding forces of soluble and insoluble fractions for both milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and skim milk. Mild homogenization of HHP-treated milk increased lactoferrin (LF) levels in the insoluble fractions of both MFGM and skim milk, due to insoluble aggregation through hydrophobic interactions. Intense homogenization of HHP-treated milk decreased the LF level in the MFGM fractions due to the LF desorption from the MFGM, which increased LF level in the insoluble skim milk fraction. Homogenized-HHP treated milk showed noticeably higher casein (CN) level at the MFGM compared to homogenized-raw milk, attributed to HHP effect on CN micelles. Overall, the combined use of HHP and shear-homogenization should be avoided as it increased the biological proteins in insoluble fractions.

From lab-based to in-line: Analytical tools for the characterization of whey protein denaturation and aggregation-A review

Whey protein denaturation and aggregation have long been areas of research interest to the dairy industry, having significant implications for process performance and final product functionality and quality. As such, a significant number of analytical techniques have been developed or adapted to assess and characterize levels of whey protein denaturation and aggregation, to either maximize processing efficiency or create products with enhanced functionality (both technological and biological). This review aims to collate and critique these approaches based on their analytical principles and outline their application for the assessment of denaturation and aggregation. This review also provides insights into recent developments in process analytical technologies relating to whey protein denaturation and aggregation, whereby some of the analytical methods have been adapted to enable measurements in-line. Developments in this area will enable more live, in-process data to be generated, which will subsequently allow more adaptive processing, enabling improved product quality and processing efficiency. Along with the applicability of these techniques for the assessment of whey protein denaturation and aggregation, limitations are also presented to help assess the suitability of each analytical technique for specific areas of interest.

Characterization of protein aggregates in cream and skimmed human milk after heat and high-pressure pasteurization treatments

Preservation processes applied to ensure microbial safety of human milk (HM) can modify the native structure of proteins and their bioactivities. Consequently, this study evaluated the effect of pasteurization methods (Holder pasteurization, high-temperature short-time (HTST), and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)) of whole human milk (HM) on protein aggregates in skim milk and cream fractions. For heat-treated whole milk, insoluble protein aggregates at milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) were formed by disulfide and non-covalent bonds, but insoluble skim milk protein aggregates were only stabilized by non-covalent interactions. Contrary to heat treatment, the insolubilization of main proteins at the MFGM of HHP-treated HM was only through non-covalent interactions rather than disulfide bonds. Moreover, only heat treatment induced the insoluble aggregation of ⍺-lactalbumin. Overall, compared to heat treatment, HHP produced a milder effect on protein aggregation, validating the use of this process to better preserve the native state of HM bioactive proteins.