Suitability of buttermilk for fermentation with Lactobacillus helveticus and production of a functional peptide-enriched powder by spray-drying.
OBJECTIVE
To ferment buttermilk, a low-cost by-product of the manufacture of butter, with a proteolytic strain of Lactobacillus helveticus, to enhance its value by the production of a functional peptide-enriched powder.


RESULTS
Buttermilk was fermented with Lact. helveticus 209, a strain chosen for its high proteolytic activity. To enhance the release of peptidic fractions, during fermentation pH was kept at 6 by using NaOH, Ca(CO)(3) or Ca(OH)(2). Cell-free supernatant was recovered by centrifugation, supplemented or not with maltodextrin and spray-dried. The profile of peptidic fractions released was studied by RP-HPLC. The lactose, Na and Ca content was also determined. The powder obtained was administered to BALB/c mice for 5 or 7 consecutive days, resulting in the proliferation of IgA-producing cells in the small intestine mucosa of the animals.


CONCLUSIONS
Buttermilk is a suitable substrate for the fermentation with Lact. helveticus 209 and the release of peptide fractions able to be spray-dried and to modulate the gut mucosa in vivo.


CONCLUSIONS
A powder enriched with peptides released from buttermilk proteins, with potential applications as a functional food additive, was obtained by spray-drying. A novel use of buttermilk as substrate for lactic fermentation is reported.
Burns
P
P
Instituto de Lactología Industrial (INLAIN, UNL-CONICET), Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Molinari
F
F
Beccaria
A
A
Páez
R
R
Meinardi
C
C
Reinheimer
J
J
Vinderola
G
G
D000818:Animals; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D003890:Desiccation; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005503:Food Additives / Q000378:metabolism; D052198:Lactobacillus helveticus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011208:Powders
D005503:Food Additives; D010455:Peptides; D011208:Powders