September 15/Quebec City, Canada/Health & Medicine Week -- According to recent research from Canada, "The lipids and proteins of buttermilk solids have been associated with several potential health benefits. In this work, the effect of cream pasteurization, microfiltration (MF) and enzymatic proteolysis on the chemical composition and cholesterol-lowering activity of buttermilk solids was studied."

"Buttermilk was made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cream and fractionated using a 0.5-mu m MF membrane or treated with pepsin or pepsin followed by trypsin. The cholesterol-lowering activity of the products obtained was measured as micellar solubility of cholesterol in vitro. This value was reduced significantly by 57.1% of the control in the presence of raw-cream buttermilk, while buttermilk from pasteurized cream had a much lower impact (reduction of 17.0%). These results suggest a strong inhibitory effect of components in raw-cream buttermilk on in vitro micellar solubility of cholesterol. MF retentate and permeate of buttermilks made from either cream had smaller effects on micellar solubility," wrote V. Conway and colleagues, Laval University.

The researchers concluded, "Enzymatic hydrolysis of buttermilk made from pasteurized cream seemed to restore the lost cholesterol-lowering activity."

Conway and colleagues published their study in Dairy Science & Technology ("Effect of Cream Pasteurization, Microfiltration and Enzymatic Proteolysis on in vitro Cholesterol-lowering Activity of Buttermilk Solids." Dairy Science & Technology, 2010;90(4 Sp. Iss.):449-460).

For additional information, contact Y. Pouliot, Laval University, STELA Dairy Research Center, Quebec City, PQ G1V 0A6, Canada.

From the September 20, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition