Impact of the Maillard reaction on the antioxidant capacity of bovine lactoferrin

Studies raise the notion that the Maillard reaction (MR) may be harnessed to modify the antioxidant capacity of alimentary proteins. However, little is known about the impact of MR on bioactive proteins. Glucose and fructose were used as model moieties reacting with lactoferrin (LF). UV absorbance and SDS–PAGE analyses were used to monitor MR progression during 36 h of mild thermal processing (60 °C, 79% RH). FTIR and CD did not reveal changes in LF structure; However, dynamic light scattering showed MR increased mean particle sizes and sample turbidity at 3 < pH < 10. DPPH and FRAP antioxidant assays showed marked increases in antioxidant capacity of Maillard conjugates as a function of reaction time (12 and 36 h), protein:monosaccharide mole ratio (1:1 or 1:3) and moiety type, compared to unprocessed LF. Overall, a link between conjugates’ antioxidant capacity and processing parameters is described to enable future attempts to enhance LF functionality in foods containing carbohydrates.