Impact of Maillard type glycation on properties of beta-lactoglobulin

The Maillard reaction occurs during many thermal treatments of foods. It is used because of its role in creating colors, flavors, textures and other functional properties in foods. Glycated beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) can improve techno-functional properties as heat stability, emulsifying and foaming properties. Among the six common sugars used, arabinose and ribose induce the highest degree of modification of proteins. Glycation induced also the oligomerization of BLG monomers. Depending on the reactivity of the sugar, the population of oligomers produced showed smaller or larger heterogeneity in molecular masses. Antiradical properties of glycated BLG were estimated using a radical scavenging activity test. Glycation induced a radical scavenging activity; the intensity depended on the sugar used for modification.