ENZYME TECHNOLOGIES FOR ALLEVIATING LACTOSE MALDIGESTION

Lactose reduction in milk by beta-galactosidase prior to consumption i s one of the current modalities of alleviating lactose maldigestion. H owever, hydrolysis of lactose results in flavour changes in milk: gluc ose and galactose are between three and four times sweeter than lactos e, and many lactose maldigesters do not like the taste of lactose-hydr olysed milk. The addition of exogenous beta-galactosidase to meals has been shown to alleviate lactose maldigestion adequately, and so beta- galactosidase could be added to milk if the lactose could be protected from the hydrolytic action of the added enzyme. Liposomes, which have recently shown potential as carriers of enzymes, could be good vehicl es for the addition of beta-galactosidase to milk. beta-galactosidase can be successfully encapsulated in liposomes which have been shown to be Very stable when suspended in milk stored at refrigeration tempera ture. Lactose hydrolysis is minimal when liposomal beta-galactosidase is added to milk. In vitro digestibility studies have shown that the l iposomal beta-galactosidase is available for digesting lactose in milk . Stable blends of beta-galactosidase and dry milk powders have also b een used. Results have shown that up to 95% of the original activity o f the fungal lactase was retained in blends of the enzyme and milk pow der when stored under nitrogen at 45 degrees C for 6 months.