On the use of ultrafiltration for the concentration and desalting of phosvitin from egg yolk protein concentrate

Summary An ultrafiltration-based approach was integrated in the preparation of phosvitin (PVs) from delipidated egg yolk proteins. An attempt was made to concentrate PVs as well as to desalt by means of the diafiltration technique. Primary experiments were devoted to optimise the ultrafiltration performance as function of parameters such as the effects of pH, feed concentration and transmembrane pressure on permeate flux with the 10-kDa molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) polyethersulfone membrane at laboratory scale. Higher permeate flux values were observed at low concentration and at alkaline pH, whatever transmembrane pressure studied. Then, desalting of PVs was carried out at 50 °C with 10- and 30-kDa MWCO membranes. The results showed that desalting of PVs was obtained with both the 10- and 30-kDa MWCO membranes and with a few loss of protein in the permeate side.