The effect of pre-denatured whey proteins on the textural and micro-structural properties of model processed cheese spreads

Whey proteins (WP) were heated in a scraped-surface heat exchanger to produce products with different levels of denaturation. Model processed cheese spreads containing the WP were prepared. Rheological measurements showed that higher levels of denaturation in the WP produced softer (lower elastic modulus) cheeses. Temperature scans indicated that the cheeses prepared with high levels of native whey proteins did not melt (the elastic modulus was higher than the viscous modulus at all temperatures), whereas those prepared with high levels of denatured whey proteins melted on increasing the temperature. Microstructural examination of selected cheeses indicated that, when denatured whey proteins were used in processed cheeses, the whey proteins were incorporated as large aggregates dispersed within the cheese matrix. These aggregates did not contribute to, and may disrupt the structure of the cheese. When native whey proteins were used, they were incorporated into the cheese matrix, producing a denser network structure.     

Whey-ing up the options – Yesterday,today and tomorrow

Whey, first generated more than 5000 years ago, was valued in the 17th through early 19th centuries, notably as a medicinal agent against some common maladies. However, for much of history, whey has been considered a waste by-product of cheese, casein and yoghurt manufacture. Nowadays, the intrinsic value of whey components, notably the proteins, has been recognised, and a large and growing body of scientific evidence now supports the many physico-chemical, nutritional and biological properties of whey components. This evidence has established a foundation for their value as food and related ingredients. Manufacturing technologies have been, and continue to be, developed for processing whey and for isolating functional whey components in a cost-effective manner. A diverse and expanding range of whey ingredients, foods, and related products has resulted. This paper traces the history and science of whey, highlighting the quirks, struggles, accomplishments, and emerging opportunities and challenges in the field.     

Effect of Processing Technologies on the Allergenicity of Food Products

Heat treatment has been used since ancient times for food processing, first to ensure the safety of food and its storage, but also to transform its characteristics (in its raw form) and obtain new textures, flavors, or novel foods. However, the transformation experienced by food components when heated, or processed, can dramatically affect the allergenicity of food, either reducing or increasing it. To date, most of the articles published dealing with the changes in the potential allergenicity of food are focused on heat treatment and the Maillard reaction. However, it is also important to give prominence to other group of new technologies developed nowadays, such as high-pressure processing, microwaves and food irradiation. These techniques are not likely to replace traditional processing methods, but they are becoming attractive for the food industry due to different reasons, and it is expected in the near future to have different products on the market processed with these new technologies at an affordable cost. Moreover, other biochemical modifications, particularly enzymatic cross-linking of proteins, have attracted wide-spread attention and will be considered as well in this review, because of its great opportunities to induce protein modification and thus affect food allergenicity. Together with the effect of processing of food allergens, this review will place special attention on gastroduodenal digestion of processed allergens, which directly affects their allergenicity.     

Rheological Properties of Extruded Milk Powders

Whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, and nonfat dry milk may be processed through a twin-screw extruder to produce ingredients for protein-fortified food. The products ranged from rigid to flexible to soft, and small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements showed that these properties varied with extrusion temperature and moisture content. The whey proteins showed different effects than nonfat dry milk due to the type and amount of protein present. The characteristics of extruded milk powders can be manipulated through processing parameters to obtain texturized products with the desired rheological properties.     

Stability of Whey Proteins during Thermal Processing: A Review

Whey proteins have many benefits due to their high nutritional value and their various applications in food products. A drawback of whey proteins is their instability to thermal processing, which leads to their denaturation, aggregation, and, under some conditions, gelation. As thermal processing is a major treatment in the processing of milk and milk products, its influence on whey proteins has been extensively studied. Understanding the mechanisms involved during each stage of denaturation and aggregation of whey proteins is critical to devising ways of improving their stability. These aspects are reviewed in this paper. Also covered are approaches to preventing or reducing heat‐induced aggregation of whey proteins. Inhibition of aggregate formation has considerable potential for alleviating the problems that arise from the instability of whey proteins.     

Whey Improves Oxidative Stability of Soybean Oil

Whey powder and Maillard reaction products (MRP) produced from whey suppressed the formation of hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and lowered oxygen uptake in the model system. The antioxidant activity of whey was dependent on concentration and preheating treatment. Unheated whey and whey heated for at 24 hr were most effective in retarding lipid oxidation. Whey solutions of 16% were most effective antioxidants followed by 10% and 3% solutions. As MRP indicators increased antioxidant activity increased. Whey may be useful as an antioxidant in some processed foods.     

乳清制品与保健饮料

<正> 乳清含有丰富的蛋白质、钙和乳糖,将之提炼成甜乳清、乳清浓缩蛋白、乳清分离蛋白、脱盐乳清、低乳糖乳清、分级乳清蛋白和富钙乳清等制品,可应用于保健饮料中以提高其营养价值,进而促进人体健康。主要乳清制品的蛋白质和乳糖含量示于图一。本文主要谈谈乳清制品在开发保健饮料中所担当的角色。 乳清的特性 在乳清中,蛋白质的含量一般占20％左右,已经证实,其中含有丰富的含硫氨基酸、支链氨基酸、生物活性肽     

Improvement and modification of whey protein gel texture using polysaccharides

Whey proteins (WP) and polysaccharides are two gelling biopolymers used in the food industry for their wide range of rheological and textural properties. Mixed gels containing more than one gelling agent are usually classified into three types: interpenetrating, coupled, and phase-separated networks. Large deformation behavior of whey protein gels mixed with polysaccharides is presented. pH, and the concentration and nature of the cations added in the system, affect both protein and polysaccharide gels. These factors will also modify the mixing behavior of protein-polysaccharide solutions. The effect of cations and pH are respectively explained using WP/κ-carrageenan and WP/pectin systems. Under the conditions studied, two types of mixed systems were obtained: one with two gelling biopolymers (WP/κ-carrageenan), and the other where protein is the only gelling biopolymer (WP/pectin). Conditions favoring incompatibility can lead to spherical inclusions of whey protein.     

Potential efficacy of processing technologies for mitigating crustacean allergenicity

ABSTRACT

Crustacean allergy has become a growing food safety concern at a global scale. In the past decades, various food processing approaches have been employed to develop food products with reduced allergenic potential. Thermal treatment can dramatically influence the allergenicity of crustaceans by either reducing or enhancing their allergenic potential. Maillard reaction, enzymatic and acid treatments have shown to be promising in mitigating crustacean allergenicity. Recently, novel processing technologies, namely high-pressure processing, high-intensity ultrasound, irradiation, pulsed ultraviolet light and hurdle technology have attracted special attention from the researchers and the food industry professionals owing to their benefits over the conventional methods. In this context, this review paper provides an updated overview of the current knowledge on how different food processing methods induce structural changes of crustacean allergens and, subsequently, influence their allergenic potential. Data on prevalence and clinical relevance of crustacean allergy are presented, as well as, the molecular characterization of crustacean allergens and the main analytical methods for their detection in processed foods.     

Balanced diets in food systems: Emerging trends and challenges for human health

ABSTRACT

Processed foods, generally known as modified raw foods produced by innovative processing technologies alters the food constituents such natural enzymes, fatty acids, micronutrients, macronutrients and vitamins. In contrast to fresh and unprocessed foods, processed foods are guaranteed to be safer, imperishable, long lasting and consist high level of nutrients bioactivity. Currently, the evolution in food processing technologies is necessary to face food security and safety, nutrition demand, its availability and also other global challenges in the food system. In this scenario, this review consists of information on two food processing technologies, which effects on processed foods before and after processing and the impact of food products on human health. It is also very well established that understanding the type and structure of foods to be processed can assist food processing industries towards advancement of novel food products. In connection with this fact, the present article also discusses the emerging trends and possible modifications in food processing technologies with the combination of conventional and modern techniques to get the suitable nutritional and safety qualities in food.     

Maximizing the value of milk through separation technologies.

Milk is the source of a wide range of proteins that deliver nutrition to the most promising new food products today. Isolated milk proteins are natural, trusted food ingredients with excellent functionality. Separation technologies provide the basis for adding value to milk through the production of proteins that provide the food industry with ingredients to meet specific needs, not possible with milk itself or with other ingredients. The major milk proteins, casein and whey protein, can be isolated by manipulating their compositional and physical properties and then by using various separation technologies to recover the proteins. Additionally, they can be processed in various ways to create a wide range of ingredients with diverse functional characteristics. These ingredients include milk protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, casein, caseinate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, hydrolysates, and various milk fractions. Within each of these ingredient categories, there is further differentiation according to the functional and nutritional requirements of the finished food. Adding value to milk by expanding from consumer products to ingredients often requires different technologies, marketing structure and distribution channels. The worldwide market for both consumer products and ingredients from milk continues to grow. Technology often precedes market demand. Methods for the commercial production of individual milk components now exist, and in the future as clinical evidence develops, the opportunity for adding value to dairy products as functional foods with health benefits may be achieved. The research and development of today will be the basis of those value-added milk products for tomorrow.     

Effects of gamma radiation on microbial,physicochemical, and structural properties of whey protein model system

Gamma radiation has been used in food processing for many years, though it has certain effects on food components. Whey protein solutions (10%/30%, wt/vol) were treated with gamma radiation at various dosages (10–25 kGy) and evaluated for microbial changes in the solutions and physicochemical and structural changes of whey proteins. Whey protein solutions after gamma radiation showed substantially lower populations of all viable microorganisms than those of controls. The 10% whey protein solution treated at radiation of 20 or 25 kGy remained sterile for up to 4 wk at room temperature. Gamma radiation increased viscosity and turbidity and decreased soluble nitrogen of whey protein solutions compared to nonradiated control samples regardless of radiation dosage. Nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE suggested that whey proteins under gamma radiation treatment formed aggregates with high molecular weights. Reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE showed that disulfide bonds played a role in gamma radiation-induced whey protein cross-linking. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy micrographs exhibited large aggregates of whey proteins after gamma radiation treatment. Results suggested that gamma radiation could be applied to whey protein solution for purposes of reducing microbial counts and cross-linking protein molecules.     

Design of whey protein nanostructures for incorporation and release of nutraceutical compounds in food

Whey proteins are widely used as nutritional and functional ingredients in formulated foods because they are relatively inexpensive, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredient, and possess important biological, physical, and chemical functionalities. Denaturation and aggregation behavior of these proteins is of particular relevance toward manufacture of novel nanostructures with a number of potential uses. When these processes are properly engineered and controlled, whey proteins may be formed into nanohydrogels, nanofibrils, or nanotubes and be used as carrier of bioactive compounds. This review intends to discuss the latest understandings of nanoscale phenomena of whey protein denaturation and aggregation that may contribute for the design of protein nanostructures. Whey protein aggregation and gelation pathways under different processing and environmental conditions such as microwave heating, high voltage, and moderate electrical fields, high pressure, temperature, pH, and ionic strength were critically assessed. Moreover, several potential applications of nanohydrogels, nanofibrils, and nanotubes for controlled release of nutraceutical compounds (e.g. probiotics, vitamins, antioxidants, and peptides) were also included. Controlling the size of protein networks at nanoscale through application of different processing and environmental conditions can open perspectives for development of nanostructures with new or improved functionalities for incorporation and release of nutraceuticals in food matrices.     

High hydrostatic pressure assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of whey proteins

Whey proteins, due to their high nutritional value, are generally hydrolyzed to reduce the allergenicity and used as ingredients in many special products, such as infant formulae, geriatric products, highly energetic supplements or dietetic foods or in foods produced to prevent nutrition related diseases, like food intolerances and allergies.The aim of this work was to assess the applicability of innovative technologies, such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processes, to assist the enzymatic hydrolysis of target proteins, namely whey protein concentrate (WPC-80), in order to modify their antigenicity. Experiments were carried out to verify the effectiveness of HHP technology to accelerate whey protein hydrolysis reaction with selected enzymes (α-chymotrypsin, bromelain), and to affect the protein allergenic power. To this purpose, different HHP treatments were carried out at several pressure levels (100, 200, 300 and 400 MPa) and the untreated whey protein samples were used as control. A defined enzyme/substrate ratio of 1/10 w/w was used in the experiments, while the treatment time was changed from 0 to 30 min (0, 5, 15, or 30 min).The experimental data demonstrated that High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) induced WPC-80 unfolding at the highest value of the pressure applied (400 MPa) as indicated by the higher exposure of free sulfhydryl groups. When HHP was used in combination with enzymatic hydrolysis, the degree of hydrolysis increased not only with the pressure level applied but also with the processing time. These results suggested that, even if the exposure of hidden epitopes upon protein unfolding increased the antigenicity of whey proteins, further peptide bonds cleavage also took place after hydrolysis. This effect could modify whey proteins antigenic sequences, and thus their antigenic power.     

免疫学技术在食品过敏原检测中的应用

食品过敏原可引起机体产生过敏反应,严重危害人类健康及生命安全。目前食品包装上过敏原信息标注规 范尚不完善,因此食品过敏原检测技术对于预防含有过敏原食品进入流通领域,减少过敏事件发生至关重要。本文 综述了免疫学检测技术在食品过敏原检测中应用,并展望了其未来的发展趋势。     

FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE-TREATED WHEY PROTEIN

Surface hydrophobicity, solubility, gelation and emulsifying properties of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)‐treated whey protein were evaluated. HHP treatment of whey protein buffer or salt solutions were performed at 690 MPa and initial ambient temperature for 5, 10, 20 or 30 min. Untreated whey protein was used as a control. The surface hydrophobicity of whey protein in 0.1 M phosphate buffers treated at pH 7.0 increased with an increase in HHP treatment time from 10 to 30 min. HHP treatments of whey protein in salt solutions at pH 7.0 for 5, 10, 20 or 30 min decreased the solubility of whey proteins. A significant correlation was observed between the surface hydrophobicity and solubility of untreated and HHP‐treated whey protein with r = ?0.946. Hardness of HHP‐induced 20, 25 or 30% whey protein gels increased with an increase in HHP treatment time from 5 to 30 min. An increase in the hardness of whey protein gels was observed as whey protein concentration increased. Whey proteins treated in phosphate buffer at pH 5.8 and 690 MPa for 5 min exhibited increased emulsifying activity. Whey proteins treated in phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and 690 MPa for 10, 20 or 30 min exhibited decreased emulsifying activity. HHP‐treated whey proteins in phosphate buffer at pH 5.8 or 7.0 contributed to an increase in emulsion stability of model oil‐in‐water emulsions. This study demonstrates that HHP treatment of whey protein in phosphate buffer or salt solutions leads to whey protein unfolding observed as increased surface hydrophobicity. Whey proteins treated in phosphate buffers at pH 5.8 and 690 MPa for 5 min may potentially be used to enhance emulsion stability in foods such as salad dressings, sausage and processed cheese.     

低致敏水产品加工技术研究进展

近年来,随着水产品的消费量逐年增长,食用水产品引起的过敏问题也日渐增多。在全球范围内,食物过敏是世界公共卫生关注的重点问题,因此通过食品加工技术来开发出低致敏或无致敏的食品对过敏人群健康具有重要意义。本文对水产品过敏原加工消减技术研究进展进行了概述,简要介绍了水产品的主要过敏原,详细介绍了不同食品加工技术对水产品过敏原致敏性的影响,分析了低致敏水产品的研究现状及发展趋势,以期为低致敏性水产品的研发提供指导方向。     

Consumer perceptions of foods processed by innovative and emerging technologies: A conjoint analytic study

Conjoint analytic surveys were administered to 225 potential consumers of foods processed by innovative and emerging food technologies in order to assess the factors contributing to their interest in using such products. Respondents included 1) a consumer panel of civilian lab employees, 2) shoppers in a mall in the northeastern U.S., and 3) U.S. military troops on training exercises. Respondents rated their interest in 49 different food product concepts that varied in food type, processing or production technology, costs, benefits, risks, endorsing agencies, and product information. Results showed that the relative importance of factors did not vary greatly among the consumer groups. Perceived risks associated with the technologies were the most important factors influencing interest in use. Among the emerging technologies assessed, irradiation and genetic modification resulted in the greatest negative effect on likely use, while high pressure processing produced the most positive effect. The term “cold preservation” had positive associations for all groups, but “minimally processed” had negative associations. Implications of the data for the marketing of foods processed by innovative and emerging technologies are discussed.Industrial relevanceThe food industry is currently interested in a variety of novel production and processing technologies that may result in economical and improved quality products. However, consumer attitudes toward and conceptions of these new technologies can greatly influence their success in the marketplace. The results of this study show that “perceived risks” of the technologies are the most important determinant of interest in their use by consumers. This and other data uncovered in this study suggest that industry must be vigilant in their knowledge of consumer attitudes toward these processes in order to avoid unexpected failure of these products upon market introduction.     

Bovine Milk Allergens: A Comprehensive Review

Cow milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in early childhood and often persists through adult life, forcing an individual to a complete elimination diet. Milk proteins are present in uncounted food products, such as cheese, yogurt, or bakery item, exposing allergic persons to a constant threat. Many efforts have been made to overcome this global problem and to improve the life quality of allergic individuals. First, proper and reliable food labeling is fundamental for consumers, but the verification of its compliance is also needed, which should rely on accurate and sensitive analytical methods to detect milk allergens in processed foods. At the same time, strategies to reduce milk allergenicity, such as immunotherapy or the use of food processing techniques to modify allergen structure, have to be extensively studied. Recent research findings on the applicability of food processing, such as heat treatment, fermentation, or high pressure, have revealed great potential in reducing milk allergenicity. In this review, significant research advances on cow milk allergy are explored, focusing on prevalence, diagnosis, and therapy. Molecular characterization of cow milk allergens and cross‐reactivity with other nonbovine milk species are described, as well as the effects of processing, food matrix, and digestibility on milk allergenicity. Additionally, analytical methods for the detection of milk allergens in food are described, from immunoassays and mass spectrometry methods for protein analysis to real‐time polymerase chain reaction for DNA analysis.     

Milk allergens, their characteristics and their detection in food: A review

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies in childhood. This allergy is normally outgrown in the first year of life, however 15% of allergic children remain allergic. Many studies have been carried out to define and characterise the allergens involved in CMA and described two major allergens: casein (αs1-CN) and β-lactoglobulin. In addition to this, many other milk proteins are antigenic and capable of inducing immune responses. Milk from sheep or goats differs from cow's milk (CM) in terms of composition and allergenic properties. Food processing such as heating affects the stability, structure and intermolecular interactions of CM proteins, thereby changing the allergenic capacity. Chemical and proteolytic treatments of milk to obtain milk hydrolysates have been developed to reduce allergic reactions. Prevention of CMA largely relies on avoidance of all food products containing cow's milk. To achieve this, interest has focused on the development of various technologies for detecting and measuring the presence of milk allergens in food products by immunoassays or proteomic approaches. This review describes the technologies implemented for the analysis of milk allergens (allergenicity, biochemistry) as well as their potential detection in food matrices.