EFFECT OF SODIUM-CHLORIDE ON THE SOLUBILITY OF CASEINS

The functionality of caseins in food systems depends on their solubili ty. The solubilities of whole casein, alphas1-casein, beta-casein, and dephosphorylated whole casein were measured as the pH was adjusted fr om 7 to 2 with HCl. When NaCl was added before PH adjustment, solubili ties of whole casein at pH 2.5 decreased by 25, 40, 85, and 98% at NaC l concentrations of .01, .05, .1 and .2 M, respectively. Likewise, sol ubilities of dephosphorylated whole casein decreased by 50%, alpha(s)1 -casein by 30%, and beta-casein by 90% in . 1 M NaCl. When .01 and .05 M NaCl were added to whole casein solutions after pH adjustment, effe cts on solubility were slight; however, . 1 and .2 M NaCl decreased so lubility by 30 and 95%, respectively. When NaCl was added to casein so lutions, pH decreased if the original solution was above the isoionic point, indicating Na ion binding; however, at pH between 5 and 3, the pH of the solution increased when NaCl was added. The pH shift upon ad dition of NaCl to dephosphorylated casein was less than with native ca seins, suggesting that Na ion binding by phosphate and acid groups occ urred in casein. Although NaCl is commonly used in food processing, th ese unusual solubility effects should be considered when NaCl is used with casein.