Casein

Caseínas

Casein (

or 

) is a family of related phosphoproteins predominantly found in mammalian milk. Deriving its name from the Latin word caseus, which means "cheese", casein is a major component of cow's milk and is responsible for its white color. It has a variety of applications in the food industry and beyond.

Overview

Casein proteins account for nearly 80% of the proteins found in cow milk and range between 20% and 45% in human milk.<ref>,

 Human-milk proteins: analysis of casein and casein subunits..., 
 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 
 1990,
 Vol. 51,
 pp. 37–46,</ref> Beyond its nutritional value, casein is a key ingredient in cheese-making and is utilized in various industries due to its binding properties. It has also found use in products like paints and glues.

Composition

The structure of casein is unique among proteins due to its high proline content and lack of disulfide bridges. This results in a relatively flexible structure that forms aggregates in milk known as "casein micelles". These structures are complex, with several proposed models suggesting different arrangements of the individual casein proteins and how they interact with calcium phosphate.<ref>Dalgleish DG,

 Casein micelles as colloids, 
 Journal of Dairy Science, 
 
 Vol. 81(Issue: 11),
 pp. 3013–8,</ref>

Industrial and dietary uses

Casein's unique properties make it invaluable in several industrial applications. Apart from its obvious use in cheese-making, casein is:

• A primary ingredient in some adhesives.
• Used in the production of safety matches due to its binding properties.<ref>"Industrial Casein", National Casein Company</ref>
• Employed in paints as it offers a binder that's robust and long-lasting.

From a dietary perspective, casein is:

• A slow-digesting protein source, often used in protein supplements to provide a sustained protein release.
• A rich source of amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium, and phosphorus.

See also

• Casein paint
• Sodium caseinate
• Calcium caseinate
• Veganism
• Cheese production
• Milk

References

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