Quantification of β-Casomorphin 7 in Commercially Available Filtered and Pasteurized Cow’s Milk

Abstract

β-casomorphin 7 (BCM7) is a bioactive peptide that is released during the digestion of the β-casein (in particular, the A1 variant) present in cow’s milk. BCM7 has been linked to several health concerns such as gastrointestinal disorders. Milk processing alters the composition of milk, which in turn may affect its digestion, thus impacting the amount of BCM7 that is released. This study aimed to understand the impact of microfiltration on BCM7 release after the in vitro digestion (mimicking in vivo digestion) of semi-skimmed filtered milk compared to that of pasteurized milk and pasteurized Jersey milk (which does not contain A1 β-casein, the main source of BCM7). LC/MS was used to quantify BCM7. The results indicated that the β-casein variants present in milk, rather than the milk treatments themselves, are the key factors for the release of BCM7. Similar BCM7 levels were found in the filtered and pasteurized milk samples, whereas the Jersey milk released just half the amount.

Keywords

• β-casomorphin 7 (BCM7)
• filtered milk
• microfiltration
• pasteurized milk
• A1 β-casein
• A2 β-casein