Detection and quantification of αS1-, αS2-, β-, κ-casein, α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin and lactoferrin in bovine milk by reverse-phase high- performance liquid chromatography

Bovine milk proteins has been widely studied because of the strong association and relationship with composition and technological properties of milk. Cow’s milk quality is very important, above all in such countries like Italy, where about 70% of whole milk production is used in cheese-making industry. A reversed-phase highperformance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed to identify and quantify rapidly the most common genetic variants of bovine milk proteins, included lactoferrin. A reverse-phase analytical column C8 (Aeris WIDEPORE XBC8, Phenomenex, 3,6 μm, 300Å, 250 x 2,1 I.D.) was used for the analysis. All the most common casein (CN) and whey protein genetic variants were detected and separated simultaneously in less than 20 min; purifi ed bovine milk protein genetic variants were employed in calibration. A linear relationship (R2 >0.99%) between concentration and peak areas of individual milk protein variants was observed.