Novel method for preparing alpha-lactalbumin-enriched compositions, related products and uses e.g. in infant formulas
AssigneeArla Foods Amba
InventorsKasper Bøgelund LAURIDSEN, Hans BERTELSEN, Behnaz Razi PARJIKOLAEI, Søren Bang NIELSEN, Tanja Christine JÆGER, Kåre SØNDERGAARD, Guilherme DE MOURA MACIEL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a new method of producing edible alpha-lactalbumin-enriched protein compositions based on removal of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) from a whey protein containing feed by selective crystallisation of non-aggregated BLG. The invention furthermore relates to new edible alpha-lactalbumin-enriched protein compositions, uses of these compositions and food products comprising these compositions.
Claims17
A method of preparing an edible, alpha-lactalbumin-enriched whey protein composition, the method comprising the steps of
- a) providing a whey protein solution comprising non-aggregated beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), alpha-lactalbumin (ALA) and optionally additional whey protein, said whey protein solution being supersaturated with respect to BLG and having a pH in the range of 5-6,
- b) crystallising non-aggregated BLG in the supersaturated whey protein solution, preferably in salting-in mode, and
- c) separating the BLG crystals from the remaining mother liquor and recovering at least some of the mother liquor,
- d) providing a first composition derived from the recovered mother liquor,
- e) optionally, adjusting the pH of the first composition to
- i) a pH in the range of 2.5-4.9, or
- ii) a pH in the range of 6.1-8.5,
- f) drying:
- the first composition obtained from step d) or a protein concentrate thereof, or
- the pH-adjusted first composition obtained from step e) or a protein concentrate thereof.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the whey protein solution of step a) comprises at most 90% w/w BLG relative to the total amount of protein.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the whey protein solution comprises a milk serum protein concentrate, a whey protein concentrate, milk serum protein isolate, and/or whey protein isolate.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ratio between the conductivity and the total amount of protein of the whey protein solution is at most 0.3.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the UF permeate conductivity of the whey protein solution is at most 7 mS/cm.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the supersaturated whey protein solution is prepared by subjecting a whey protein feed to one or more of the following adjustments:
- Adjusting the pH,
- Reducing the conductivity
- Reducing the temperature
- Increasing the protein concentration, and
- Adding an agent that reduces the water activity.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein step c) comprises separating the BLG crystals to a solids content of at least 30% w/w, preferably at least 40% w/w and even more preferably at least 50% w/w.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first composition comprises, or even consists of, the recovered mother liquor.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first composition comprises, or even consists of, a protein concentrate of the recovered mother liquor.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the provision of the first composition involves further ALA enrichment, preferably to a first composition that has a weight percentage of ALA relative to total protein that is at least 5% higher than that of the recovered mother liquor.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pH of the first composition is adjusted to a pH in the range of 2.5-4.9, preferably 2.8-4.5 and more preferably 2.8-3.2
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pH of the first composition is adjusted to a pH in the range of 6.1-8.5, preferably 6.3-8.0, and even more preferably 6.5-7.5.
The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the physical microbial reduction involves one or more of:
- heat-treatment, preferably at least pasteurization,
- UV radiation treatment,
- pulsed light treatment,
- microfiltration,
- high pressure treatment, and
- ultrasound treatment.
A method of producing a food product, the method comprising the steps of
- a) providing a whey protein solution comprising non-aggregated beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), alpha-lactalbumin (ALA) and optionally additional whey protein, said whey protein solution being supersaturated with respect to BLG and having a pH in the range of 5-6,
- b) crystallising non-aggregated BLG in the supersaturated whey protein solution, preferably in salting-in mode, and
- c) separating the BLG crystals from the remaining mother liquor and recovering at least some of the mother liquor,
- d) providing a first composition derived from the recovered mother liquor,
- e) optionally, adjusting the pH of the first composition to
- i) a pH in the range of 2.5-4.9, or
- ii) a pH in the range of 6.1-8.5,
- f) optionally, drying the first composition obtained from step d) or a protein concentrate thereof or drying the pH-adjusted first composition obtained from step e) or a protein concentrate thereof,
- g) combining:
- g1) the first composition obtained from step d) or a protein concentrate thereof,
- g2) the pH-adjusted first composition obtained from step e) or a protein concentrate thereof, and/or
- g3) the dried composition obtained from step f)
- with one or more ingredients and converting the combination to a food product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.