Interactions of β-Lactoglobulin and α-Lactalbumin with Lipids: A Review

Although of excellent nutritional quality, whey proteins are underutilized. To provide new insights for their potential in food products, interactions of alactalbumin and J3-1actoglobulin with lipids are reviewed. Structural properties of membrane proteins and methods for predicting interactions of proteins with lipids are discussed briefly with regard to lipid-protein complexes in foods. Effects of surfactants on conformations of a-lactalbumin and /3-1actoglobulin also are presented. Studies of the interactions of these proteins with synthetic lipids in monolayers and single bilayer vesicles are described. Implications of these studies on the use of whey protein in food emulsions are considered.