Bitterness in Bacillus proteinase hydrolysates of whey proteins

Whey protein concentrate (WPC) hydrolysates were generated with three commercially available Bacillus proteinase preparations (pH 7.0, 50 °C, 20% (w/v) WPC). Alcalase 2.4L hydrolysates were more bitter than Prolyve 1000 and Corolase 7089 hydrolysates when the proteinase activities were included at equivalent high and low addition levels. A glutamyl endopeptidase (GE) activity present in Alcalase was not detected in the Prolyve and Corolase preparations. Hydrolysate bitterness significantly increased when GE activity was included during Prolyve hydrolysis of WPC, indicating that inclusion of the GE activity was linked with the higher bitterness in Alcalase hydrolysates. A peptide present at higher levels in Prolyve compared to Alcalase hydrolysates was identified by mass spectrometry as β-lactoglobulin f(43-57). Hydrolysis of this peptide by GE was shown to release fragments with increased average hydrophobicity (Q-value). This may, in part, explain the higher level of bitterness associated with Alcalase compared to Prolyve hydrolysates of WPC.