Pepsin diffusion in dairy gels depends on casein concentration and microstructure
Résumé
Fundamental knowledge of gastric digestion had only focused on acid diffusion from the gastric fluid, but
no data are available for pepsin diffusion. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique,
diffusion coefficients D of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-pepsin were measured in rennet gels across
a range of casein concentrations allowing to form networks of protein aggregates with different structures.
To investigate the microstructural parameters of native gels, electron microscopy image analysis
were performed and qualitatively related to diffusion behavior of FITC-pepsin in these dairy gels. This
study is the first report on quantification of pepsin diffusion in dairy product. Pepsin diffusion in rennet
gels depends on casein concentration and microstructure. Models of polymer science can be used to
assess D in dairy gel. Such data should be confronted with pepsin activity in acidic environment, and will
be very useful as input parameters in mathematical models of food degradation in the human stomach.