Journal of Dairy Research

Table of Contents - May 1989 - Volume 56, Issue 03 (Special Issue: Proceedings of the Hannah Research Institute Casein Conference)  

Original Articles

Surface active properties at the air–water interface of β-casein and its fragments derived by plasmin proteolysis

Michael Wilsona1, Daniel M. Mulvihilla1, William J. Donnellya2 and Brian P. Gilla1

a1 Department of Food Chemistry, University College, Cork, Ireland

a2 The Agricultural Institute, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland

Summary

β-Casein, was enzymically modified by incubation with plasmin to yield γ-caseins and proteose peptones. Whole γ-, γ1-, γ2/γ3-caseins and whole proteose peptone (pp) were isolated from the hydrolysate mixture. The time dependence of surface tension at the air-water interface of solutions of β-casein and its plasmin derived fragments, at concentrations of 10−1 to 10−4% (w/v) protein, pH 7.0, was determined, at 25 °C, using a drop volume apparatus. The ranking of the proteins with respect to rate of reduction of surface tension, during the first rate determining step, at 10-2% (w/v) protein, was γ2/γ3 xs226B pp > whole γ- > γ1- > β-casein. The ranking of the proteins with respect to surface pressures attained after 40 min (π40) was concentration dependent. γ2/γ3-Caseins were found to be very surface active, decreasing surface tension rapidly and giving a high π40. γ1 Casein decreased surface activity somewhat faster than β-casein, but generally reached a lower π40. Whole γ-casein reflected the properties of both γ1 and γ2/γ3-caseins. Proteose peptone was found to decrease surface tension rapidly during the initial rate determining step; it gave a relatively high π40 at a bulk phase concentration of 10−3% (w/v) protein, but, it was the least surface active protein at 10−1 and 10−2% (w/v) protein.