Scientists have developed a novel method of supplementing cow milk with vegetable protein using readily available current dairy processing equipment, to help bolster declining fluid milk sales and for those who are allergic to dairy products.
The research was done by scientists from the Department of Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University which was published in the Journal of Dairy Science.
80 percent of the protein in cow milk takes the form of casein, which naturally binds together to form large spherical molecules suspended in the water component of milk. Protein, on the other hand, does not readily dissolve in water; one end of the casein protein is attracted to it (hydrophilic), while the other is repelled by it (hydrophobic).
When the proteins join together, the exterior of the resulting large molecule, called the casein micelle, is made up of the water-attracted end of the protein, while the core of the casein micelle is the water-repellent side. This structure allows casein micelles to carry most of the vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, which, like proteins, do not dissolve easily in water, that make milk such a nutritious part of the diet.
“Our research team used these unique features of casein micelles to turn them into transporters of additional protein from a plant-derived source, in this case, peas,” mentions first author Ms. Abigail Krentz, MS. The casein micelle has been used previously to increase the nutritional value of low-fat foods and to provide more vitamins and minerals to milk.
Lead investigator Mr. Rafael Jiménez-Flores, PhD, observes that “Plant-based proteins, such as those in peas, can be challenging to use in foods because of their low solubility and undesirable off-flavors.”
Pea protein is a gluten-free, non-allergenic, and cost-effective plant protein which has gained popularity as a result of its well-balanced amino acid content and branched-chain amino acids, which help in muscle growth. Pea protein also contains a large number of hydrophobic proteins (65 to 80 percent), making it a good model to represent plant-based proteins.
This research offers potential for innovations with other plant-based proteins or nutraceuticals with low solubility, allowing the dairy industry to provide highly nutritious new products that also meet evolving consumer preferences.
