The whey proteins in milk: Thermal denaturation, physical interactions, and effects on the functional properties of milk

This chapter reviews the literature on the denaturation of the whey proteins in milk and their interactions with other milk proteins and provides examples of relationships between denaturation/interaction reactions of the whey proteins and the functional behavior of the milk. Early studies were aimed at developing methods to assess denaturation levels and for determining the relationships between the denaturation of the whey proteins and the functional behavior of milk products in bakery and other applications. It has become increasingly apparent that a measure of the denaturation level is not a good predictor of functional performance. Therefore, further studies have investigated the interactions of denatured whey proteins with other milk proteins, in particular with the casein micelles. Recent studies have indicated that manipulation of the interactions of the denatured whey proteins with other milk proteins may provide a tool for modifying/controlling the functional performance of milk protein products in some applications.