ADSORPTION OF ALPHA-LACTALBUMIN AND BETA-LACTOGLOBULIN ON METAL-SURFACES VERSUS TEMPERATURE

The heating of biological fluids in the food industry often causes deposition (fouling) on the processing equipment. This study is part of a research program directed toward a better understanding of fouling associated with the heat treatment of milk. The adsorption of alpha -lactalbumin and beta -lactoglobulin on a hydrophilic chromium surface was followed in situ, using ellipsometry. The experiments were performed at temperatures up to and exceeding (in the case of alpha -lactalbumin) the thermal denaturation temperatures of the proteins. The two proteins exhibit quite different properties, which makes it interesting to compare their behavior at the solid/liquid interface.