Process for preparing bioactive protein-enriched whey products

Abstract

The present invention involves the discovery that various liquid (whey) streams drained or expelled from cheese curd after salt addition in the preparation of cheese contain enriched levels of bioactive proteins such as lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulins, and growth factors. According to the invention, these proteins may be further enriched through manipulation of the cheese salting process as described herein. The methods of the invention may be used to produce various whey products with enriched levels of all the above bioactive proteins present and, through manipulation of salting conditions, to enrich these proteins selectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The proteins present in milk, colostrum, whey, and other such compositions produced from lactating animals, are of great value. They have unique nutritional and functional properties and are often used as ingredients in processed and prepared foods, as well as nutritional supplements and even pharmaceutical formulations. These proteins are generally categorized into two classes. The first class is a heterogenous mixture called casein and represents approximately 80% of the proteins found in milk compositions. The second class is a heterogenous mixture called whey proteins comprising the remaining 20% of the proteins in milk.

[0002] Human milk and bovine colostrum contain many bioactive whey proteins, such as lactoferrin (Lf), lactoperoxidase (Lp), immunoglobulins (Ig) and several growth factors. Bovine milk also contains these bioactive components, but at much lower levels than human milk and bovine colostrum.

[0003] Large amount of research have b...

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