Compositional and Functional Properties of Buttermilk: A Comparison Between Sweet, Sour, and Whey Buttermilk

Abstract

Buttermilk is a dairy ingredient widely used in the food industry because of its emulsifying capacity and its positive impact on flavor. Commercial buttermilk is sweet buttermilk, a by-product from churning sweet cream into butter. However, other sources of buttermilk exist, including cultured and whey buttermilk obtained from churning of cultured cream and whey cream, respectively. The compositional and functional properties (protein solubility, viscosity, emulsifying and foaming properties) of sweet, sour, and whey buttermilk were determined at different pH levels and compared with those of skim milk and whey. Composition of sweet and cultured buttermilk was similar to skim milk, and composition of whey buttermilk was similar to whey, with the exception of fat content, which was higher in buttermilk than in skim milk or whey (6 to 20% vs. 0.3 to 0.4%). Functional properties of whey buttermilk were independent of pH, whereas sweet and cultured buttermilk exhibited lower protein solubility and emulsifying properties as well as a higher viscosity at low pH (pH <or= 5). Sweet, sour, and whey buttermilks showed higher emulsifying properties and lower foaming capacity than milk and whey because of the presence of milk fat globule membrane components. Furthermore, among the various buttermilks, whey buttermilk was the one showing the highest emulsifying properties and the lowest foaming capacity. This could be due to a higher ratio of phospholipids to protein in whey buttermilk compared with cultured or sweet buttermilk. Whey buttermilk appears to be a promising and unique ingredient in the formulation of low pH foods.

Effect of cream pasteurization, microfiltration and enzymatic proteolysis on in vitro cholesterol-lowering activity of buttermilk solids

“…Although its overall composition is similar to skim milk, buttermilk is known for its relatively high concentration of MFGM polar lipids. The phospholipid content of buttermilk can reach up to seven times that of whole milk [25]. Mainly composed of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), glucosylceramide (GluCer) and lactosylceramide (LacCer), MFGM phospholipids have been associated recently with numerous health benefits such as protective effects against cancer, stress, Alzheimer's disease and gastrointestinal pathogens as well as hypercholesterolaemia as reviewed in [4,24,26].…”

Mixing sweet cream buttermilk with whole milk to produce cream cheese

“…Buttermilk is an important by-product of the manufacture of butter. It is a source of nutrients, such as lactose, protein, minerals and vitamins (Sodini et al 2006). The chemical composition of buttermilk varies substantially, depending on the production method, source of the milk and amount of water added during churning (Salhab 1998).…”

Desenvolvimento De Sobremesa Láctea Tipo Frozen Yogurt Com Características Funcionais

“…Segundo Sodini et al(2006) e Gassi et al (2008), diferenças na composição físico-química do leitelho podem ocorrer devido à constituição do creme e as variáveis operacionais utilizadas na fabricação da manteiga.…”