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JP-7855514-B2 - A method for producing concentrated whey protein nanogels, the obtained whey protein nanogel or nanogel composition, and a food containing such whey protein nanogel or nanogel composition.

JP7855514B2JP 7855514 B2JP7855514 B2JP 7855514B2JP-7855514-B2

Inventors

  • ニールセン，セーレン バン
  • イェーゲル，ターニャ クリスティーン
  • ジェンセン，リンダ ボンデ
  • パルジコラエイ，ベハナーズ ラジ

Assignees

  • アーラ フーズ アンバ

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20201229
Priority Date
20191230

Claims (19)

  1. A method for producing a whey protein nanogel composition, a) To provide a whey protein solution having the following: - Content of natural β-lactoglobulin (BLG) in an amount of 4-28 % w/w, - A natural BLG content of at least 50% w/w relative to total protein, pH in the range of -5.8 to 7.5 - The weight ratio between total calcium and natural BLG, which is as follows: - At most 0.0041 * pH - 0.0209, and - At least 0.0037 * pH - 0.0234 but greater than 0, and - Total concentration of monovalent metal cations as follows: - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is less than 10% w/w, then at most 25 mM, or - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is at least 10% w/w, then at most 20 mM. b) Heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 68°C for a period of time sufficient to form a suspension of whey protein nanogels having a z-average diameter of 150-1000 nm. c) Optionally, concentrate the suspension of whey protein nanogel to obtain a concentrated suspension of whey protein nanogel. d) optionally comprising drying a dryer feed comprising a whey protein nanogel derived from step b) or c).
  2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the whey protein solution contains 8-24 % w/w of natural BLG.
  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the whey protein solution contains 12-28 % w/w of natural BLG.
  4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the whey protein solution contains natural BLG in an amount of at least 60% w/w relative to the total protein.
  5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the whey protein solution contains natural BLG in an amount of at least 90% w/w relative to the total protein.
  6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the whey protein solution has a protein denaturation degree of at most 10% w/ w relative to the total protein.
  7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the whey protein solution has a pH in the range of 5.8 to 6.5 .
  8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the whey protein solution has a total concentration of monovalent metal cations of at most 15 mM .
  9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8 , wherein the heating in step b) is carried out for a period of time sufficient to denature at least 95% w/w of the natural BLG.
  10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , comprising step c), wherein the concentrated suspension of whey protein nanogel contains a total amount of 21–35% w/ w of protein.
  11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the concentrated suspension of whey protein nanogel contains at most 6 % of soluble whey protein aggregates.
  12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , comprising step d), wherein the dryer feed comprises a total amount of 21-35% w/ w of protein.
  13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the whey protein nanogel composition is in the form of a powder, and the method comprises step d) drying a dryer feed comprising the whey protein nanogel derived from step b) or c).
  14. - Whey protein nanogel in an amount of at least 90% w/w relative to total protein, - At most 10 % soluble whey protein aggregates, A whey protein nanogel composition in powder form comprising: - total BLG in an amount of at least 90% w/w relative to total protein, and - total protein in an amount of at least 30% relative to total solids, The particles of the hydrated whey protein nanogel composition have a z-average diameter measured by dynamic light scattering in the range of 150-1000 nm, and the whey protein nanogel composition can be obtained by one or more methods according to claims 1-13 .
  15. A whey protein nanogel that can be obtained by one or more methods according to claims 1-13 , wherein the whey protein nanogel provides a viscosity of at most 50 cP at 20°C and a shear rate of 300 s⁻¹ when such a whey protein nanogel is present in desalted water in an amount of 20.0% w/w.
  16. 3.0-5 . The whey protein nanogel and/or whey protein nanogel composition is - Can be obtained by one or more methods of claims 1-13, or - The whey protein nanogel composition according to claim 14, or - Use of the whey protein nanogel according to claim 15 .
  17. The use according to claim 16, wherein the whey protein nanogel provides at least 50% w/w of the total protein of the heat-treated beverage.
  18. The use according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the heat-treated beverage contains a total protein amount of 2–35% w/w.
  19. The use according to any one of claims 16-18 , wherein the whey protein nanogel contains a total amount of at least 60% w/ w of BLG.

Description

This invention relates to the production of special whey protein nanogels by denaturing whey protein, and further to the obtained whey protein nanogels and their use in food products such as beverages. When used at high concentrations in beverages and liquid products, these whey protein nanogels provide a very low viscosity contribution, which demonstrates their unique characteristics. The formation of micro- or nanoparticles of denatured whey protein has been previously described and is known as a method for modifying the functionality of whey protein. US 6,605,311 B2 discloses insoluble, denatured, heat-stable protein particles having an average diameter of 0.1–3 microns when hydrated, which are dispersible in aqueous solutions and are used in food and beverage products. WO2007/110421 A2 discloses the preparation of nano-sized whey protein micelles by thermal denaturation of whey protein. Example 11 describes the formation of a whey protein micelle concentrate having a protein content of 20% w/w. The concentrate is described on page 28, section 2 of WO2007/110421 A2 as having a "creamy semi-solid texture," which clearly indicates high viscosity. CN105542195A discloses nanogels formed by the conjugation of polysaccharides and whey proteins followed by heat treatment, and further discloses the use of these nanogels in food products. The inventors have discovered that specific process conditions enable the production of nanogels of denatured whey protein in solution, possessing remarkably high concentrations of protein, particularly natural β-lactoglobulin (BLG), the main protein in whey and the driving force behind the thermal aggregation of whey protein. The ability to form nanogels at high protein concentrations is highly advantageous because it reduces energy consumption per kg of protein during processing, meaning less solution needs to be heated and then cooled per kg of protein. This further reduces the cost of transporting the nanogel product in liquid form, as less water needs to be transported. It also reduces the cost of converting the nanogel suspension into powder, as less water needs to be removed. Therefore, one aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing a whey protein nanogel composition, the method comprising: a) To provide a whey protein solution having the following: - A content of natural BLG in an amount of at least 3% w/w, pH in the range of -5.8 to 7.5, preferably 5.8 to 6.5. - The weight ratio between the total amount of calcium and natural BLG, which is at most 0.010, and - the total concentration of monovalent metal cations listed below: - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is less than 10% w/w, at most 25 mM, or - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is at least 10% w/w, at most 20 mM. b) Heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 68°C for a period of time sufficient to form a suspension of whey protein nanogels. c) Optionally, concentrate the suspension of whey protein nanogel to obtain a concentrated suspension of whey protein nanogel. d) Optionally, dry the dryer feed containing the whey protein nanogel derived from step b) or c). Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing a whey protein nanogel composition, the method comprising: a) To provide a whey protein solution having the following: - A content of natural BLG in an amount of at least 3% w/w, pH in the range of -5.8 to 7.5, preferably 5.8 to 6.5. - The weight ratio between the total amount of calcium and natural BLG is as follows: - At most 0.0041 * pH -0.0209, and - at least 0.0037 * pH -0.0234 but greater than 0, and - the total concentration of the following monovalent metal cations: - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is less than 10% w/w, at most 25 mM, or - If the natural BLG content of the whey protein solution is at least 10% w/w, at most 20 mM. b) Heat the whey protein solution to a temperature of at least 68°C for a period of time sufficient to form a suspension of whey protein nanogels. c) Optionally, concentrate the suspension of whey protein nanogel to obtain a concentrated suspension of whey protein nanogel. d) Optionally, dry the dryer feed containing the whey protein nanogel derived from step b) or c). In addition to the advantages mentioned above, the inventors observed that the nanogel of the present invention provides remarkably low viscosity when present in a liquid at high protein concentrations, such as 20% w/w or even 30% w/w, and simultaneously exhibits stability against heat treatment, including sterilization heat treatment at such protein concentrations. Prior art particles of denatured whey protein offer significantly higher viscosity at increased protein concentrations, potentially failing to even reach a 20% w/w protein concentration in liquid solution. Therefore, another aspect of the invention relates to a whey protein nanogel composition comprising at least 30% of the total pr