IRON-SUPPLEMENTED CASEINS - PREPARATION, PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND STABILITY

Preparation, physicochemical characterization and stability of iron-su pplemented caseins were studied. When ferrous iron (final concentratio ns of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM) was added to sodium caseinate (final casein concentration 25 g/l), iron binding to caseins was complete. In parallel, an increase in absorbance at 280 nm, a decrease in fluoresc ence intensity, modifications of reversed-phase HPLC profile, a decrea se in pH and an increase in free sodium concentration were observed. M oreover, no release of iron from iron-casein complexes was found betwe en pH 6.5 and 3.7 or after heat treatments or in the presence of inorg anic phosphate. Only EDTA disodium salt and trisodium citrate had sign ificant effects on the release of iron bound to caseins.