Lactose derivatives: Their properties and applications

Abstract

:Lactose is a unique disaccharide, which occurs exclusively in the milk of mammals. Lactose can be converted to various derivatives like, lactulose, galacto-oligosaccharides, lactobionic acid, lactosucrose, lactitol, tagatose, lactic acid etc., using laboratory or industrial processes. They find application in foods and pharmaceutical preparations as prebiotics to promote gut health. Similarly to non-digested lactose, these compound enhance the intestinal absorption of calcium and magnesium. The potential health benefits of lactose derivatives have been a subject of growing commercial interest in the context of health-promoting functional foods. So far, treatment of constipation and hepatic encephalopathy, enhancement of mineral absorption, prebiotic action, treatment of colon carcinogenesis, treatment of inflammatory bowel disease have been most studied for their physiological effects. This review covers the physical, chemical and functional properties of Lactose derivatives and their applications in food, dairy and pharmaceutical industries.

Lactose and Lactose Derivatives

“…The difference between these isomers varies according to the hydroxyl group in the 1st position in the structure of glucose. The physical properties of these two isomers are different from each other and they exist in an aqueous solution as a mixture of alpha and beta lactose (Bramhankar et al, 2018).…”

“…It is especially used as a supplement for infant food formulations and as a drug additive (carrier) for pharmaceutical products. In addition, while it can contribute to the color and taste of bakery and pastry products, it can also be used in the production of glucose, galactose, and lactose derivatives through hydrolysis (de Souza et al, 2010;Seki and Saito, 2012;Bramhankar et al, 2018). Lactose is frequently included in diets due to its sweetening power, calorie value, and low glycemic index (Schaafsma, 2008).…”

“…Lactose is an industrial by-product obtained by utilizing the residues of cheese and casein production processes (Bramhankar et al, 2018;Xiao et al, 2019). Lactose derivatives such as lactulose, lactitol, lactobionic acid, galactooligosaccharide, lactosucrose, epilactose, and tagatose are produced from lactose using various methods such as epimerization, oxidation, and reduction.…”

“…These lactose derivatives exhibit several important physiological properties and effects such as having prebiotic properties, being indigestible, or having antiobesity features. Investigation of the potential health benefits of lactose derivatives has led to the emergence of a wide range of application areas for them in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries (Seki and Saito, 2012;Bramhankar et al, 2018;Xiao et al, 2019). Lactulose, galactooligosaccharide, and lactitol, in particular, are widely used in foods and pharmaceuticals.…”

“…The closed formula of lactulose is the same as that of lactose (C12H22O11) and it has a molecular weight of 342.30 g/mol. In lactulose, galactose, and fructose molecules are connected with a β-1-4 glycosidic bond (Özden, 2005;Panesar and Kumari, 2011;Bramhankar et al, 2018).…”