Nutritional and functional properties of whey proteins concentrate and isolate

• Main Authors: Zoran Herceg, Anet Režek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Dairy Union 2006-12-01
• Series: Mljekarstvo
• Subjects: whey proteins; functional; therapeutic and nutritional properties of proteins
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=12763

Whey protein fractions represent 18 - 20 % of total milk nitrogen content. Nutritional value in addition to diverse physico - chemical and functional properties make whey proteins highly suitable for application in foodstuffs. In the most cases, whey proteins are used because of their functional properties. Whey proteins possess favourable functional characteristics such as gelling, water binding, emulsification and foaming ability. Due to application of new process techniques (membrane fractionation techniques), it is possible to produce various whey - protein based products. The most important products based on the whey proteins are whey protein concentrates (WPC) and whey protein isolates (WPI). The aim of this paper was to give comprehensive review of nutritional and functional properties of the most common used whey proteins (whey protein concentrate - WPC and whey protein isolate - WPI) in the food industry.