Abstract

This experiment explores the techniques in isolation and hydrolysis of casein from
milk. The role of acid hydrolysis here is to extract an acidic hydrolysate from the
extracted casein.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1. Why is non-fat milk, instead of whole milk used in the experiment?
Non-fat milk or skim milk was used in the experiment instead of whole milk
because whole milk contains a relatively large concentration of fat. This fat will be
physically included in the casein curd as it separates.

2. Why is the milk solution heated to 55 C but not higher on a hot plate
By heating the milk solution to 55 degrees, the protein will start to denature. So,
when the acetic acid is added to the solution it will be able to bind with the
denatured protein making it the necessary environment for protein coagulation

3. Why is H2SO4 used in acid hydrolysis of proteins?

Tryptophan is destroyed and it dehydrates the casein

4. Purpose of autoclaving
For the complete destruction of the tryptophan, a severe loss cysteine and minor
losses of serine and threonine