Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Intact, Extracted, or Calcium Depleted Raw Cow Milk
Dragana Filipović, Jelena Kasapović, Snežana Pejić, Ana Nićiforović, Snežana B. Pajović, and Marija B. Radojčić
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Corresponding author: Marija B.Radojčić, Ph.D., Res.Assoc.
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology
VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences
P.O. Box 522-MBE090
11001 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Telephone: +381 (11) 245-55-61
Fax number: +381 (11) 245-55-61
E-mail: marija@vin.bg.ac.yu
CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. No.4.: 284–289
Key words:
Raw cow milk, casein, SOD activity, milk quality
Abstract:
Milk is a polyphasic secretion of the mammary gland with significant antioxidant activity and
high calcium content bound by protein micelles. The relationship between the antioxidant activity
and the structural organization of milk proteins is not well understood. The present study deals
with the structure of milk proteins and its relation with the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.
The effects of several laboratory treatments on the sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel
elecrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profile of the protein, and on the respective SOD activity were studied
in raw milk samples from IMPAZ Co, Zaječar, Serbia. In all samples, SOD activities in the
range from 2 to 3 U/mg protein were detected. It could be purified up to 5 U/mg protein. The
removal of calcium caused disruption of casein micelles and significant decrease in SOD activity
to 1.24-0.18 U/mg protein. It is concluded that the high antioxidant content of the initial raw
milk, as well as the technology of its processing are of great importance for the preservation of
SOD activity in the final foodstuff product.
Received: 31 July 2003
Accepted: 5 December 2003
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