Recovery of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) from buttermilk: effect of Ca-binding salts.

In this Research Communication we present a study of the effect of Ca-binding salts on the recovery of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) from buttermilk. Sodium phosphate buffer was used for the purpose of MFGM recovery from buttermilk for the first time and we showed that 0.1 M buffer at pH 7.2 was the most effective for the recovery of MFGM. The fact of high efficacy of sodium phosphate buffer in recovery of MFGM from buttermilk allowed us to suggest that MFGM in buttermilk is present in association with casein through Ca- bridges formed between phospholipids of MFGM and phosphate groups of casein, primarily with k-casein as the peripheral protein of casein micelles.