ABSTRACT
Cow's milk (CM) allergy is a common food allergy that seriously impacts the growth and development of infants and children. However, CM is an important source of nutrients, and few studies focus on the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis treatment on the whole skimmed CM system. In this study, the IgG/IgE-binding and functional properties of Alcalase-, Protamex-, and Flavourzyme-treated skimmed CM (AT, PT, and FT, respectively) were systematically evaluated. The results showed that the treatment groups were mainly composed of low molecular weight (MW) peptides (<3 kDa), accounting for 94.85%-97.90%. Additionally, the IgG reactivity of these peptides was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of higher MW peptides (10-30 kDa and >30 kDa). The IgE reactivity of FT with higher MW peptides was the lowest among these groups, with the OD value reaching 0.089. Moreover, the total amino acid content of hydrolysates of skimmed CM (HM) increased significantly (skimmed CM, 5.94 µg/mL; AT, 123.70 µg/mL; PT: 136.20 µg/mL; FT, 988.72 µg/mL) compared to that in skimmed CM. A total of 10, 10, and 7 flavor compounds were increased in AT, PT, and FT, respectively. Furthermore, the solubility, foamability, and emulsifying ability of HM were significantly improved, being 2.17-fold, 1.52-fold, and 1.96-fold higher in PT than in skimmed CM. These results lay a theoretical foundation for the development of hypoallergenic dairy products.
