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Effect of Nonthermal Processing on the Structural and Techno-Functional Properties of Bovine α-Lactalbumin

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Abstract

Bovine α-lactalbumin (α-LA) is a small (MW 14,178) globular whey protein with good nutritional and functional properties. Its increased availability as a purified protein has made easier the study of the effects of different processing treatments on its structural and techno-functional properties. The consumer demand for fresh foods with longer shelf-life and good sensory qualities led to extensive research in the field of the so-called nonthermal technologies to inactivate microorganisms and enzymes. However, these technologies have also acquired great importance in the field of modification and improvement of structural, physicochemical, and techno-functional properties of food proteins. In this review, the effects of some nonthermal processes (high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, high-intensity ultrasound, ultraviolet light, and atmospheric pressure cold plasma) on the properties of α-LA are examined, and the research needs in this field are indicated.

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Funding

The author received financial support from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Grants 20120690 and 20210460).

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  1. Depto. Ingeniería Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, UP Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu Esq. M. Campa, 07738, Mexico City, CP, Mexico

    Humberto Hernández-Sánchez

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H.H. wrote the main manuscript text, prepared figure 1 and Tables 1 and 2, and reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Humberto Hernández-Sánchez.

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Hernández-Sánchez, H. Effect of Nonthermal Processing on the Structural and Techno-Functional Properties of Bovine α-Lactalbumin. Food Eng Rev 15, 187–195 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12393-023-09340-8

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