AOAC INTERNATIONAL (AOAC) is proposing a new initiative funded by stakeholders to collaboratively address the need for standardized methods for characterization of protein hydrolysates, specifically dairy protein hydrolysates, which is a key ingredient incorporated into a variety of products including infant formula, sports nutrition, clinical nutrition, and others.
The development of global standards and subsequent methods for the characterization of hydrolysates is essential to support the industries who manufacture hydrolysates, the nutritional companies who utilize these hydrolysates in their product formulations, and ultimately the consumer of such products. This initiative is designed to provide food manufacturers, testing laboratories, NGOs, researchers, regulatory agencies and retail establishments with the analytical resources necessary to ensure product safety and quality, including accurate information for regulatory and registration purposes and to aid in global trade.
Building upon AOAC’s compilation of previously published analyte-specific Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs®) and fit-for-purpose Official Methods of AnalysisSM, the Dairy Protein Hydrolysates initiative will offer a multi-faceted approach that encompasses the following workstreams:
Sign up for the Dairy Protein Hydrolysates (DPH) Working Group: degree of hydroysis and molecular weight distribution
Dairy Protein Hydrolysates (DPH) is a general term used to encompass products produced from dairy protein via chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis, including Dairy Protein Hydrolysate, Dairy Protein Concentrate Hydrolysate and Dairy Protein Isolate Hydrolysate. Hydrolysis results in the cleavage of the peptide bonds of the proteins derived from the dairy protein source, increasing the number of hydrolysed peptide bonds. WPH composition will include mixtures of polypeptides, oligopeptides, and amino acids as produced from the partial hydrolysis of the dairy protein source, dependent on the degree of hydrolysis.
In the “Methodology for Determining Degree of Hydrolysis of Proteins in Hydrolysates: A Review” article published in the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL in 20101, author Shane Rutherfurd states that “there is no consensus as to the best method for determining the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of protein hydrolysates; consequently, there is a need for a standardized approach if interstudy comparisons are to be made.” The report concludes that there is generally a poor correlation among the various DH methods commonly used, and some of the methods (e.g., SN-TCA) do not even determine DH. Consequently, to permit the comparison of DH data and to allow a superior assessment of the extent of hydrolysis in hydrolysates generated in different laboratories, the use of a standardized protocol to determine DH is imperative.
In addition to the DH, there are several other methods needed for characterization of WPH to provide information on the following parameters:2
This AOAC INTERNATIONAL initiative will develop voluntary consensus standards (Standard Method Performance Requirements) for methods needed for WHP characterization as a basis for development and validation of corresponding Official Methods of AnalysisSM, which could be adopted by Codex Alimentarius.
Support the Dairy Protein Hydrolysate Initiative
Contact us at [email protected] to get involved with the Dairy Protein Hydrolysates initiative.
