ISOLATION OF CASEIN FROM MILK

Equipment:
10% acetic acid solution spatula filter flask
10mL Graduated cylinder disposable pipettes filter paper
Powdered milk nylon hose Buchner funnel
Procedure:
Casein isolation
1. Place about 4 g of powdered nonfat milk and 42 mL of water into a beaker and record the mass.
Heat the milk to 40 C.
2. When the milk has reached 40 C, start adding the acetic acid solution 5 drops at a time. After
every 5 drops, stir the solution with a spatula. You will see a white solid forming. This is the
casein. Push the casein to the side of the beaker above the solution and push the liquid out and
to compress the protein. Transfer to a watch glass as you go. Stop after 20 drops of the acetic
acid (1 mL). If you see any liquid on the watch glass, pipette it back into the beaker.
3. Add 0.2 g of calcium carbonate to the milk solution in the beaker to neutralize the pH.
4. Transfer the casein to a section of nylon hose. Wrap the protein and gently squeeze over the
top of the beaker to remove as much of the milk solution as possible.
5. Weigh a plastic boat and record. Add the casein and record the mass on the data sheet.
Lactalbumin isolation
6. Heat the mixture to 75 C for 5 minutes. This precipitates the lactalbumin protein (and any of
the lactoglobulin protein in the milk).
7. Use a filter funnel, flask, and filter paper to separate the solid precipitate from the hot solution.
8. Transfer the lactalbumin to a weigh boat and record mass on data sheet.