Milk Proteins

This article summarises the bovine milk protein system, encompassing the chemistry of milk proteins, in addition to some of their selected functional properties and biological activities. The bovine milk system is complex, containing two major families of proteins - caseins and whey proteins. The traditional and more modern isolation, fractionation, heterogeneity and the physicochemical properties of these proteins is the focus of this review. Selected key functional properties, such as solubility, gelation and surface activity, strongly influence how these proteins behave and interact in food systems when included in formulations and is discussed herein. Finally, the nutritional importance of milk proteins, in terms of their delivery of amino acids, as well as their established bioactivities is briefly considered.