[Investigation of the iron-binding capacity of the bovine lactoferrin]

In this work, studies were carried out to obtain and determine the iron-binding ability of lactoferrin isolated from milk of Holstein-Friesian (black-and-white) breed of cows, which is the main stock of the Russian cattle herd (CH). Aim of the study was to obtain lactoferrin and determine its iron-binding capacity for substantiating the raw material resources of its industrial production as an easily digestible source of ferrous iron for the production of dietary supplements and/or specialized foods.

To optimize the production of lactoferrin in the conditions of dairy enterprises, we used a method of lactoferrin isolation from cow's milk in its own modification, which consisted in the degreasing of whole milk by centrifugation and double cation-exchange chromatography with successive application of the following sorbents: CM-cellulose (CM-52) and Macro-Prep High Q Support.

The developed modification of the method of chromatographic production of lactoferrin has shown its effectiveness and availability for production at domestic dairy enterprises. The purity of lactoferrin is about 95%, and the content is about 74 μg/cm3. Iron-binding capacity was determined in apo- and holoforms of lactoferrin. The ability of saturation of apolactoferrin with iron has been shown.

The new obtained factual material allows us to express the prerequisites for further research to justify the possibility of using the iron-saturated form of hololactoferrin of cow milk of the Holstein-Frisian breed as a domestic raw material for dietary supplements and specialized foods.