Fabrication of Biopolymeric nanoparticles of colostrum whey-caseinate, Characterization, and In vitro digestibility

Bovine colostrum contains bioactive proteins while thermal processing reduces the functionality and gastric conditions reduce the bioactivity of these proteins. In this study, the structure of caseinate and colostrum whey was modified using ethanol to fabricate the nanoparticles (NPs). The effect of pH (4-7), whey (0.25-1.0%, w/v), and caseinate (0.5-2.0%, w/v) concentrations was also evaluated to fabricate stable NPs. The stable NPs were prepared at pH 6.5 using caseinate (1.50%, w/v) and whey (0.75%, w/v) in an aqueous medium with a mean particle diameter of <200 nm. Amide I showed changes between 1250 and 910 cm(-1) in caseinate and mixture while the secondary structure (beta-helix at 1636 cm(-1)) showed slight changes in whey and NPs and there was a decrease in the intensity of peak at 1521 cm(-1) (amide II) in caseinate due to ethanol. The functional properties of NPs powder were improved as compared to whey powder and In vitro digestibility also showed improved recovery of Igs from NPs as compared to whey protein. These colostrum whey-based NPs can be used as dietary supplements to deliver bioactive proteins with numerous health advantages.