Application of chromatography and mass spectrometry to the characterization of food proteins and derived peptides

The following review describes the development of mass spectrometry off-lin e and on-line coupled with liquid chromatography to the analysis of food pr oteins. It includes the significant results recently obtained in the field of milk, egg and cereal proteins. This paper also outlines the research car ried out in the area of food protein hydrolysates, which are important comp onents in foodstuffs due to their functional properties. Liquid chromatogra phy and mass spectrometry have been particularly used for the characterizat ion of food peptides and especially in dairy products. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.