The precipitation of whey proteins by carboxymethyl cellulose of differing degrees of substitution

Abstract

Summary: The complexing of whey proteins in hydrochloric acid whey by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has been studied. The efficiency of precipitation of CMC (the ability to form insoluble complexes with whey proteins) increased with increasing degree of substitution (DOS) of CMC. At a DOS of greater than 1·4, efficiencies of precipitation of whey protein greater than 90% were achieved without the need for dilution of whey. CMC of high DOS would thus be useful in whey protein reclamation schemes. The amount of CMC necessary for maximum efficiency of precipitation also increased with increasing DOS. The composition of the CMC-protein complex varied little over the range pH 2·8–4·0. Under optimum conditions for binding, the complex contained 61–68% protein and more than 95% of the CMC originally in solution was precipitated in the complex.