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‐Utilization of On-Plate Digestion Method‐
Shimadzu Review 81[3・4] (2024)
Abstract
A2 milk is defined as milk that contains only A2 β-casein and no A1 β-casein. The nutritional value of A2 milk is comparable to that of conventional A1/A2 milk while being easier to digest and posing a lower risk of disease. These benefits and an increasingly health-conscious society have led to a growing global demand for A2 milk. Following this trend, A2 milk and processed dairy products made with A2 milk such as yogurt and gelato have now started to appear on the market. These new products pose a quality assurance issue due to the need to verify whether the products contain only A2 β-casein. At present, the most common method of verifying A2 β-casein in milk is by the genetic testing of cows (A2 genotyping), an approach that is both time-consuming and expensive. Given the likelihood that A2 milk and processed A2 milk products may become adulterated with A1 β-casein later in the production process, there is also a need for a rapid test that can be used on these final products. This article describes a rapid method of identifying A1 and A2 β-casein in milk that uses MALDI-TOF MS and an on-plate digestion protocol.
1Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Columbia, MD, USA
2Solutions Center of Excellence, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
3Consolidated Lab Services, Knoxville, TN, USA
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