Milk enzymes: their role and significance

Effect of pH on the Electrochemical Behavior of Hydrogen Peroxide in the Presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The influence of pH on the electrochemical behavior of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated using electrochemical techniques. Cyclic and square wave voltammetry were used to monitor the enzymatic activity. A modified cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) carbon electrode (OPG), a known catalyst for reducing O₂ to H₂O₂, was used to detect species resulting from the enzyme activity. The electrolyte was a sterilized aqueous medium containing Mueller-Hinton (MH) broth. The open-circuit potential (OCP) of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture in MH decreased rapidly with time, reaching a stable state after 4 h. Peculiarities in the E / I response were observed in voltammograms conducted in less than 4 h of exposure to the culture medium. Such particular E/I responses are due to the catalase's enzymatic action related to the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen, confirming the authors' previous findings related to the behavior of other catalase-positive microorganisms. The enzymatic activity exhibits maximum activity at pH 7.5, assessed by the potential at which oxygen is reduced to hydrogen peroxide. At higher or lower pHs, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurs at higher overpotentials, i.e., at more negative potentials. In addition, and to assess the influence of bacterial adhesion on the electrochemical behavior, measurements of the bacterial-substrate metal interaction were performed at different pH using atomic force microscopy.

The Functional Power of the Human Milk Proteome

Human milk is the most complete and ideal form of nutrition for the developing infant. The composition of human milk consistently changes throughout lactation to meet the changing functional needs of the infant. The human milk proteome is an essential milk component consisting of proteins, including enzymes/proteases, glycoproteins, and endogenous peptides. These compounds may contribute to the healthy development in a synergistic way by affecting growth, maturation of the immune system, from innate to adaptive immunity, and the gut. A comprehensive overview of the human milk proteome, covering all of its components, is lacking, even though numerous analyses of human milk proteins have been reported. Such data could substantially aid in our understanding of the functionality of each constituent of the proteome. This review will highlight each of the aforementioned components of human milk and emphasize the functionality of the proteome throughout lactation, including nutrient delivery and enhanced bioavailability of nutrients for growth, cognitive development, immune defense, and gut maturation.

Benefits and drawbacks of food and dairy waste co-digestion at a high organic loading rate: A Moosburg WWTP case study

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) is a key technology in reframing organic waste as a viable energy source. A lack of documented experience on full-scale AcoD at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has created a bottleneck in AcoD implementation, which is further tightened by the focus of existing AcoD studies being on low co-substrate loading (<50%) and the obtainable benefits. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the drawbacks and benefits of high-ratio co-substrate dosing of food and dairy wastes at the Moosburg WWTP (Germany) from 2014 to 2017. The Moosburg WWTP co-digests sewage sludge, food waste, and dairy wastes at a 35:47:18 ratio by volatile solids (organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.0 kg_VS/(m³·day)). During the study period, this high co-substrate dosing increased the methane potential by 300 ± 50%. The corresponding high methane yield significantly increased the on-site electricity production, resulting in energy neutrality in 2014-2015. The corresponding economic gain from gate fees was 48,000 ± 5,000 € per year. The observed drawbacks included solids accumulation inside the digester (5 m³/month), high nitrogen backload (65% increase from co-substrate addition), reduced retention time (loss of 1.18 days/year from solids accumulation), and reduced dewaterability. The high nitrogen content in the centrate is treated by sequential batch reactors (SBRs), using lactose as the carbon source for denitrification. This study presents an alternative approach for determining gate fees based on the economic gains from inherent methane content, which identified waste milk, lactose and grease trap sludge as the most profitable co-substrates.

A calorimetric study of the thermal denaturation of whey proteins in simulated milk ultrafiltrate

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study thermal transitions of the following whey proteins and enzymes in milk ultrafiltrate solution: β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, serum albumin, γ-globulin, apo- and Fe-lactoferrin, lysozyme, ribonuclease, α-chymotrypsin and xanthine oxidase. Denaturation enthalpies (ΔHD), denaturation temperatures (TD) and the half width of the denaturation peaks in DSC thermograms (ΔT½D) were determined and the degree of renaturation was estimated by rescanning previously denatured samples. A fair correlation between the results obtained by DSC and other more classical methods was found in general. However, for some proteins (α-lactalbumin, lysozyme, ribonuclease and xanthine oxidase), which have so far been considered relatively thermostable, calorimetry reveals conformational changes starting at temperatures as low as about 45 °C. In these cases thermostability observed after heat treatment of milk should be interpreted in terms of renaturation and not of high temperatures of denaturation.

Effect of casein micelle composition and casein dephosphorylation on coagulation and syneresis

The effect of varying the casein composition of artificial micelle milk on rennet coagulation time and syneresis was examined in order to determine whether either of these processes is dependent on the concentration of particular casein components. It was found that the levels of κ-and β-caseins had a significant effect on coagulation, whereas syneresis was only affected by the level of β-casein. Partial dephosphorylation of preformed micelles or the incorporation of dephosphorylated or partly dephosphorylated β-casein into artificial micelle milk was found to have an adverse effect on both coagulation and syneresis. It was concluded that the phosphate groups of casein, particularly those of β-casein, are directly involved in the micelle-micelle interactions which occur during coagulation and syneresis.

Milk enzymes—their distribution and activity

The distribution and activity of alkaline phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.1), acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2), catalase (E.C. 1.11.1.6), xanthine oxidase (E.C. 1.2.3.2), aldolase (E.C. 4.1.2.7 and 4.1.2.13), ribonuclease (E.C. 2.7.7.16) and carbonic anhydrase (E.C. 4.2.1.1) were studied in the major components of bovine milk. Fractionation was accomplished by centrifugation of milk, skim-milk and buttermilk, and ammonium sulphate precipitation of skim-milk serum. The range of activities found for the enzymes studied are tabulated together with the activities of some of the enzymes in mastitic milk, and the significance of the results obtained is discussed. No carbonic anhydrase activity was detected in any of the samples tested. The other enzymes studied were found to have a greater proportion of their total activity located in the skim-milk fraction. However, all of these enzymes except ribonuclease had a higher specific activity in the fat fraction.

Aggregation of whey proteins during storage of acidified milk

Slow, irreversible aggregation of whey proteins in acidified milk or whey at pH 3·4–4·6 held for up to 10 d at 35–45°C was revealed by the reduction of discrete bands in disc electrophoresis. The aggregation was confirmed by precipitation of protein observed in stored, acid whey. The rate of aggregation of all protein fractions increased with the acidity and the storage temperature. It was enhanced by the presence of casein, but was unaffected by the presence of milk fat or by pasteurization of the fresh, unacidified milk at 70°C. The effect may contribute to the physical properties of certain fresh cheeses and other cultured dairy products.

gamma-Glutamyltransferase in breast milk

The activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase was measured in a series of human breast milk samples collected during the first post natal week. All the samples showed considerable gamma-glutamyltransferase activity. The mean level fell from 28.8 U/ml to 3.9 U/ml seven days later. There was a highly significant correlation between gamma-glutamyltransferase and the protein content of the samples studied.

Homogenized milk and atherosclerotic disease: a review

The theory that consumption of homogenized milk containing active xanthine oxidase is a causative factor in development of atherosclerosis is reviewed. Biologically available xanthine oxidase in consumed milk products may be absorbed in the small intestine and enter the blood stream. However, there appears to be no unequivocal evidence that the absorbed enzyme has any pathological effects that may contribute to development of atherosclerotic heart disease.

Free and membrane-bound xanthine oxidase in bovine milk during cooling and heating

The effect of cold storage (5 C, 24 h) and heat treatment (60 C, 5 min) of milk on activities of free and membrane-bound xanthine oxidase has been studied. Both treatments enhanced total xanthine oxidase activity in milk. Activity of membrane-bound xanthine oxidase increased and free xanthine oxidase decreased in buttermilk while it increased in skim milk on cold storage. Heat of milk increased free and membrane-bound xanthine oxidase activities in both buttermilk and skim milk. The state of xanthine oxidase activity in skim milk from reconstituted milk, which was prepared by mixing xanthine oxidase inactivated skim milk and fresh cream, showed that only the free enzyme migrated from the cream phase to skim milk on cold storage. Very little xanthine oxidase activity was detectable in skim milk on heat treatment of the reconstituted milk sample. The overall increased activity of xanthine oxidase in milk during cold storage or heat treatment may not be due to the release of fat globule membrane enzyme to skim milk.

Bovine pancreatic lipase.I.Isolation, homogeneity, and characterization

Bovine pancreatic lipase was isolated in pure form by lyophilization of fresh bovine pancreas, extraction of the enzyme with sucrose solution, fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate and acetone, followed by chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The specific activity of the purest lipase fraction was 1750 micromoles fatty acid, liberated in 30 min per milligram of protein, indicating a purification of approximately 473-fold, with an overall yield of about 42%. Homogeneity of the enzyme was confirmed by rechromatography on Sephadex G-100 as well as with the gel electrophoretic and ultracentrifugal techniques. The purified enzyme gave a typical protein ultraviolet absorption spectrum with maximum absorption at 276 nm and minimum at 252 nm. The purified enzyme exhibited a single pH optimum of 8.8 and an isoelectric point near pH 5.5. Its optimum temperature was 37 C, and its optimum substrate concentration was 10%. These properties resembled those of milk lipase.

Lipolytic activity with the membrane fraction of bovine skim milk

Colloidal phosphate-free skim milk was subjected to gel filtration on Sepharose 4B. Lipolytic activity was observed in the membrane material eluted in the void volume fraction and in the protein fraction representing a broad range of molecular weights.