CASMOX · Analysis of the oxidative modifications on casein micelles exposed to different oxidative sources: determining the impact of these modifications at a structural and nutritional level
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-08-01 → 2022-07-31
- EU contribution
- €207,312
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Analysis of the oxidative modifications on casein micelles exposed to different oxidative sources: determining the impact of these modifications at a structural and nutritional level
Milk and dairy products are one of the most consumed drinks and foods worldwide representing a global market of ~6 billion EUR. It is one of the most relevant foods for humans due to its affordability and complete nutritional composition including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. However, this complex composition favors the formation of oxidants (e.g. free radicals and singlet oxygen) during milk processing and storage. Some of the modifications triggered by the reaction between oxidants with proteins can lead to the loss of essential amino acids for human nutrition, and to the formation of products that can alter protein structure and function. Caseins are the most abundant proteins in bovine milk (80% of the total protein content), and play a key role in stabilizing the lipid-water interface in this food thanks to their amphiphilic nature. However, these same hallmarks make them prone to suffering oxidative damage. Despite of this knowledge, little is known about the pathways contributing to these reactions and the consequences of consuming such modified proteins. This knowledge is key to creating better processing and storage policies in the food industry in order to assess food quality. In this context, this project aimed: To gain an improved understanding of degradation pathways of the most abundant milk proteins (caseins), the micelle structures that these proteins form, and the key drivers of these reactions. To address this, this project investigated the oxidative modifications on casein micelles, and the related consequences to their nutritional and health value, after their reaction with different oxidative sources. This project aimed to assess whether and how the association of casein proteins (favored at high protein concentrations) modified their reactivity towards oxidants, making these more prone to changes in structure, molecular mass, and function, with consequential modification on their nutritional and health value.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Oxidative damage is a major problem for dairy industry as it can occur to a significant extent during the processing and/orstorage of milk, and results in significant wastage. Due the high abundance of proteins, ~30% of the dry mass of whole milk,these represent one of the most abundant targets of damage. Protein oxidation can have a direct impact on the nutritionalvalue of milk and the consumption of highly oxidised proteins may have deleterious consequences for human health. Thisproject will provide an improved understanding of the degradation pathways of the most abundant milk proteins (caseins),the micelle structures that these proteins form, and the key drivers of these reactions. To address these aims, this projectwill: (1) investigate the oxidation of casein micelle (CM) mediated by the most relevant oxidative sources generated duringmilk processing and storage, and (2) determine the consequences of CM oxidation on their nutritional value (i.e. loss ofparent amino acids) and the biological effects (i.e. decreased digestibility, toxicity to human cells). The approaches to beused in this project include analytical, biochemical and biological techniques (i.e. liquid chromatography, SDS-PAGE,western blotting, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, cell culture models). The project is of interest to the Europeancommunity as milk and dairy products represent one of the most consumed food materials, with health and nutrition claimsfor these products based on the presence of specific materials, such as proteins. It is therefore critically important that theseclaims are justified and correct. This project will provide important new knowledge, as there are currently no data availableas to the pathways responsible for CM oxidative modifications. Such data is a pre-requisite to the development of lessharmfulindustrial milk processing methods. The project will also validate new methods to examine the nutritional quality ofmilk and dairy products.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · KOBENHAVNCoordinatorDenmark
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union