Abstract
Allergenicity of food proteins is generally dependent on their heat-stability and resistance to digestive enzymes. Using the methods of ELISA inhibition assay and immunoblots, we assessed peptic-and pancreatic-digestibility of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) and its antigenecity after the treatment with digestive enzymes in three types of commercially available heat pasteurized cow's milks (low temperature long time-treated milk (LTLT), high temperature short time-treated milk (HTST) and ultrahigh temperature-treated milk (UHT)). Digestibility of β-LG was resistant to both single and sequential peptic- and pancreatic-digestions in the LTLT and HTST, but not in the UHT. In the LTLT, boiling of the milk for 15min lead β-LG to lost of the digestive resistance. These results suggested that the UHT may be superior than the LTLT and HTST in the point of gastrointestinal digestibility of β-LG, and that consideration of cooking for menus composed of the cow's milks may improve digestibility of β-LG in the stomach and intestines.
