Food Safety
Omar Alizadeh; Fatemeh Rezaei
Abstract
Whey protein hydrolysates (WPHs) are recognized as a valuable source of bioactive peptides with multifunctional properties, especially their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These characteristics make them attractive natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives and align with the growing ...
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Whey protein hydrolysates (WPHs) are recognized as a valuable source of bioactive peptides with multifunctional properties, especially their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These characteristics make them attractive natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives and align with the growing consumer demand for clean-label and functional foods. In this study, lyophilized whey protein hydrolysates (LWPH) were incorporated into a butter-based model system to assess their potential as natural preservatives. Four formulations were prepared: (1) control (without additives), (2) butter with 1% (w/w) LWPH, (3) butter with 0.02% (w/w) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and (4) butter with a combination of 1% (w/w) LWPH + 0.02% (w/w) BHT. All samples were stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 60 days, and quality parameters were periodically monitored. Lipid oxidation was determined by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay, and microbial quality was evaluated through total viable count method. The results showed that the LWPH + BHT formulation significantly retarded lipid oxidation, but had weak antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the treated samples maintained better overall sensory acceptability throughout storage. These findings indicate that LWPH can serve as effective natural preservatives for extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of lipid-rich foods such as butter.
