ISBN 978-3-8439-5782-3

978-3-8439-5782-3, Reihe Lebensmitteltechnologie

Fabian Ostertag
Valorization of dairy by-products - Quantification, enrichment, and isolation of the biofunctional protein lactoferrin from acid whey

171 Seiten, Dissertation Universität Hohenheim Stuttgart-Hohenheim (2025), Softcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

The whey protein lactoferrin possesses a variety of health-promoting activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects, making it an interesting ingredient for infant formula and functional food products. This thesis aims at the enrichment and isolation of lactoferrin from acid whey. The underlying idea is to use this highly abundant but largely underutilized by-product for human nutrition. Using cross-flow filtration, the lactoferrin content in acid whey was increased to a physiological active level. A particular focus was placed on selecting appropriate membranes and optimizing parameters to accommodate the specific requirements of acid whey processing and achieve a selective enrichment of the biofunctional protein fraction. This thesis addresses not only process engineering issues encompassing established and novel methods but also aspects of protein analytics and quality assessment, providing a comprehensive guide for the valorization of biofunctional proteins from acid whey.