Interaction between whole buttermilk and resveratrol

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a polyphenol with potential health benefits.
• Enhancing the aqueous solubility of resveratrol is crucial for its effective delivery in food products.
• Buttermilk, a dairy byproduct, contains proteins that may interact with resveratrol.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interaction between buttermilk and resveratrol.
• To determine the partitioning of resveratrol within buttermilk fractions.
• To characterize the binding of resveratrol to milk proteins.

Main Methods:

• Fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to study the interaction.
• Ultracentrifugation was used to separate buttermilk into cream, milk serum, and casein-rich precipitate fractions.
• Protein intrinsic fluorescence quenching was measured to assess binding.

Main Results:

• The majority of resveratrol (50.5-56.8%) partitioned into the casein-rich precipitate.
• Lesser amounts of resveratrol were found in the milk serum (35.3-41.2%) and cream (7.9-8.7%).
• Complex formation between milk proteins and resveratrol was spontaneous and exothermic, with apparent binding constants ranging from 0.72 × 10(4) to 2.47 × 10(4) M(-1) across temperatures.

Conclusions:

• Buttermilk effectively binds resveratrol, primarily to its casein protein fraction.
• This complexation significantly increases the aqueous solubility of resveratrol.
• Buttermilk serves as a viable food vehicle for enhancing resveratrol delivery.