Colloid

A colloid is a type of mixture that has one component microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another component. A colloidal system consists of two separate phases: a dispersed phase (or internal phase) and a continuous phase (or dispersion medium).

 Emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible That is when both the dispersed and the continuous phase are liquid. In an emulsion, one liquid (the dispersed phase) is dispersed in the other (the continuous phase).

Milk
Milk is an emulsion or colloid of butterfat globules within a water-based fluid that contains dissolved carbohydrates. Because it is produced as a food source for a neonate, all of its contents provide benefits to the growing young.

Components of milk
The principle requirements of the neonate are energy (lipids, lactose, and protein), biosynthesis of non-essential amino acids supplied by proteins (essential amino acids and amino groups), essential fatty acids, vitamins and inorganic elements, and water.

 Milk provides the above requirements. It is a complex fluid containing the following component. water lactose Fat minerals vitamins protein

 Many of the major components interact with each other in the fluid. In addition, the complex interactions of the milk components provide the basis for much of dairy chemistry or dairy food products manufacturing.

Milk Protein
Milk contains 3.3% total protein. Milk proteins contain all 9 essential amino acids required by humans. Milk proteins are synthesized in the mammary gland, but 60% of the amino acids used to build the proteins are obtained from the cow's diet. Total milk protein content and amino acid composition varies with breed and individual animal genetics.

 The total protein component of milk is composed of numerous specific proteins. The primary group of milk proteins are the caseins. All other proteins found in milk are grouped together under the name of whey proteins. The major whey proteins in cow milk are beta-lactoglobulin and alphalactalbumin.

 Caseins, lactalbumins, and lactoglobulins are globular proteins, which tend to fold back on themselves into compact, nearly spheroidal units and are more easily solubilized in water as colloidal suspensions.

 They are "complete proteins", so-called because they contain all the amino acids essential for building blood and tissue, and they can sustain life and provide normal growth even if they are the only proteins in the diet.

 The casein family contains phosphorus and will coagulate or precipitate at pH 4.6. The serum (whey) proteins do not contain phosphorus, and these proteins remain in solution in milk at pH 4.6.

 The principle of coagulation, or curd formation, at reduced pH is the basis for cheese curd formation. In cow's milk, approximately 82% of milk protein is casein and the remaining 18% is serum, or whey protein.

Casein
The casein family of protein consists of several types of caseins (-s1, -s2 , , and 6) and each has its own amino acid composition, genetic variations, and functional properties. The caseins are suspended in milk in a complex called a micelle.

 The casein micelles consist of subunits of the different caseins (-s1, -s2 , , and 6) held together by calcium phosphate bridges on the inside, surrounded by a layer of 6-casein which helps to stabilize the micelle in solution. Casein micelles are spherical and are 0.04 to 0.3 m in diameter .

A casein micelle; A: a submicelle; B: protruding chain; C: Calcium phosphate; D: -casein; E: phosphate groups

 The 6-casein is made of a carbohydrate portion attached to the protein chain and is located near the outside surface of the casein micelle . The calcium phosphate and hydrophobic interactions between sub-micelles are responsible for the stability of the casein micelles. The hydrophilic parts of -casein contain carbohydrate groups, which project from the outsides of the complex micelles, giving them a hairy look, but more important, they stabilise the micelles against aggregation

 The caseins have a relatively random, open structure due to the amino acid composition. The high phosphate content of the casein family allows it to associate with calcium and form calcium phosphate salts.

 Caseins in milk are selfassembled into 100nm radius structures called casein micelles. These complex micelles consist of 4 different casin proteins and contain calcium phosphate nanoclusters which are dispersed through the protein matrix. The casein micelles can be dissociated and reassembled e.g. by applying a high pressure.

 The casein micelles are porous structures that allow the water phase to move freely in and out of the micelle. Casein micelles are stable but dynamic structures that do not settle out of solution. They can be heated to boiling or cooled, and they can be dried and reconstituted without adverse effects. -casein, along with some calcium phosphate, will migrate in and out of the micelle with changes in temperature, but this does not affect the nutritional properties of the protein and minerals.

Whey proteins
Whey protein is the name commonly applied to milk serum proteins, but technically only contains the proteins present in whey, obtained during cheese making. If the casein is removed from skimmed milk by addition of mineral acid, there remains in solution a group of proteins which are called milk serum proteins. These are very similar to true' whey proteins, hence the common name.

 Whey proteins form approximately 20% of the protein fraction in milk. The whey proteins are very soluble and can be separated into the following groups: -lactalbumin -lactoglobulin Blood Serum Albumin Immunoglobulins Miscellaneous proteins and polypeptides

 Whey proteins in general, and alactalbumin in particular, have very high nutritional values. Their amino acid composition is very close to that which is regarded as a biological optimum. Whey protein derivatives are widely used in the food industry.

 Whey proteins denature during heating which causes aggregation of the whey proteins mainly with the casein micelles Whey proteins are isolated on an industrial scale by membrane technology

-lactalbumin
This protein may be considered to be the typical whey protein. It is present in milk from all mammals and plays a significant part in the synthesis of lactose (milk sugar).

-lactoglobulin
This protein is found only in ungulates (hoofed' animals) and is the major whey protein component of milk from cows. If milk is heated to over 60 C, denaturation is initiated where the reactivity of the sulphur-amino acid of lactoglobulin plays a prominent part. At high temperatures sulphurous compounds are gradually released. These sulphurous compounds are partly responsible for the cooked flavour of heat treated milk.

Immunoglobulins
The immunoglobulins play an important role in the protection of the newborn animal (or human) against bacteria and diseases.

Lactoferrin
Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein that belongs to the iron transporter or transferrin family. It was originally isolated from bovine milk, but it is also present in milk of other animals. In addition to its presence in milk, it is also found in exocrine secretions of mammals.

Lactoperoxidase
Lactoperoxidase has been identified as an antimicrobial agent in milk, saliva and tears. Lactoperoxidase is a natural bacterial defence system through the oxidation of thiocyanate ions (SCN-) by hydrogen peroxide. These are both present in biological fluids and together with lactoperoxidase are termed the lactoperoxidase system (LP-s). LP-s has proven to be both bactericidal and bacteriostatic to a wide variety of micro-organisms, while having no effect on the proteins and enzymes of the organisms producing it.