RESUMEN
Resumen El lactosuero posee una gran cantidad de los componentes de la leche, sin embargo, una alta proporción del volumen generado se sigue tirando, provocando pérdida de nutrientes y problemas de contaminación. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue proveer información sobre las propiedades nutricionales, funcionales y biológicas del lactosuero, generado por la industria quesera artesanal, así como evidencias científicas recientes que sustentan, bajo distintos enfoques tecnológicos, el potencial de aprovechamiento, mediante su transformación o recuperación para adicionarle valor. Las oportunidades en la valorización del lactosuero, a través de la elaboración de diversos productos lácteos, como el requesón (queso de suero), bebidas fermentadas o con frutas, bebidas para deportistas, bebidas alcohólicas, mantequilla de suero, dulces, helados y paletas, reflejan el nicho de oportunidades para hacer la industria quesera artesanal más redituable. El cambio de paradigmas en los productores artesanales, en percibir al lactosuero como una fuente de co-productos para su recuperación, transformación y reincorporación a sus procesos, acorde a las capacidades tecnológicas de dicha industria, y no como un subproducto, reduciría las pérdidas de componentes de alto valor (e.g., proteína, lípidos y azúcares), trayendo consigo efectos benéficos, tanto ambientales como económicos.
Abstract Whey contains a high concentration of milk components. However, a high volume of it continues to be discarded to the environment, leading to a loss in nutrients and pollution problems. The objective of the present review is oriented to provide information on the nutritional, functional and biological properties of the whey generated by the artisanal cheese idustry. Furthermore, scientific evidence supporting the different opportunities for its valorization, revised under different technological approaches is included. The potential of whey valorization, through its recovery or transformation into value-added products, includes its use in a diversity of food products. Whey use includes the production of requesón (whey cheese), fermented beverages, fruit-flavored drinks, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, whey buttermilk, ice-cream, candies and popsicles. The transformation of whey produced by the artisanal cheese industry, offer a niche of opportunities to make this industry more profitable. The reduction in loss of highly valuable components (e.g., protein, fat and lactose) by using whey, according to their technological capabilities, represents a suitable option to its valorization, by changing the perception of whey as a waste, but as a source of co-products. The recovery, transformation and reincorporation into the processes, would bring beneficial economic effects to artisanal producers and reduce the environmental impact caused by this industry.
RESUMEN
Plant proteases are capable of performing several functions in biological systems, and their use is attractive for biotechnological process due to their interesting catalytic properties. Bromelia pinguin (aguama) is a wild abundant natural resource in several regions of Central America and the Caribbean Islands but is underutilized. Their fruits are rich in proteases with properties that are still unknown, but they represent an attractive source of enzymes for biotechnological applications. Thus, the proteolytic activity in enzymatic crude extracts (CEs) from wild B. pinguin fruits was partially characterized. Enzymes in CEs showed high proteolytic activity at acid (pH 2.0-4.0) and neutral alkaline (pH 7.0-9.0) conditions, indicating that different types of active proteases are present. Proteolytic activity inhibition by the use of specific protease inhibitors indicated that aspartic, cysteine, and serine proteases are the main types of proteases present in CEs. Activity at pH 3.0 was stable in a broad range of temperatures (25-50 °C) and retained its activity in the presence of surfactants (SDS, Tween-80), reducing agents (DTT, 2-mercapoethanol), and organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, 2-propanol), which suggests that B. pinguin proteases are potential candidates for their application in brewing, detergent, and pharmaceutical industries.