Production of low antigenic cheese whey protein hydrolysates using mixed proteolytic enzymes

Abstract

This study examined the effect of different proteolytic enzymes on the production of cheese whey protein (CWP) hydrolysates with low antigenicity. Four enzyme combinations (1:1) trypsin + papain W-40 (TP), trypsin + neutrase 1.5 (TN), papain W-40 + protease S (PP) and papain W-40 + neutrase 1.5 (PN) were added at the rate of 1% of the CWP and it was incubated for 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min at 50°C. CWP hydrolysis and its non-protein nitrogen concentrations were higher with TP and TN compared with PP and PN at all incubation times. The SDS-PAGE revealed complete removal of α-lactalbumin (α-LA) and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) from hydrolysates produced by trypsin-containing enzyme mixtures. Reverse-phase HPLC analysis ascertained the CWP hydrolysis and SDS-PAGE results. The lowest antigenicity in CWP hydrolysates was observed with the use of trypsin-containing enzyme mixtures compared with other enzyme combinations. Present results suggested that TP and TN combinations were the most effective for CWP hydrolysis for the removal of β-LG from CWP. Further research is warranted to identify the peptides in CWP hydrolysates produced with these enzyme combinations that may help enhance the utilisation of whey protein in human food. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.