Screening for lactic acid bacteria with potential to reduce antigenic response of β-lactoglobulin in bovine skim milk and sweet whey

The whey protein beta-lactoglobulin (beta-1g) is in about 80% of all cases the main elicitor of milk allergies for children and infants. beta-1g is the major whey protein in milk and milk products and it is of particular interest since it is the only whey protein of cow's milk not present in human milk. Lactic acid bacteria were screened for their ability to reduce the beta-Ig antigenity in skim milk and sweet whey. The antigenic response, measured as beta-Ig concentration equivalent was determined by means of an indirect competitive ELISA, using polyclonal antibodies from chicken egg yolk. Lactic acid fermentation was found to be suitable for decreasing milk immunoreactivity. In addition, synergism regarding the reduction of the antigenity were observed when using 1: 1 mixtures of lactic acid bacteria with Streptococcus thermophilus subsp. salivarius strains. A 90% reduction of the initial beta-Ig antigenity of skim milk was observed for some of the lactic acid bacteria. In sweet whey more than 70% reduction was achieved. In general, lactic acid fermentation can attenuate beta-Ig antigenity in skim milk and sweet whey, but did not eliminate antigenity. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.