Characterisation of Antioxidant Capacity and Prebiotic-like Effects of Whey Derived from Different Bovine Breeds' Milk

Abstract

The antioxidant capacity and prebiotic activity potential of sweet whey and heat-treated whey samples derived from Jersey, Brown Swiss, and Holstein milk were investigated. Whey was produced by simulating cheese-making, and heat-treated whey was obtained by thermal treatment of the corresponding sweet whey. The physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and effects on selected Lactobacillus strains were evaluated. Whey supplementation showed strain- and treatment-related OD600 responses, with most whey-supplemented media demonstrating higher values than the unsupplemented control, although responses varied according to breed, treatment, and bacterial strain. In the cupric reducing antioxidant capacity assay, heat-treated whey showed higher values than sweet whey, ranging from 134.28 to 186.97 and 87.69 to 124.65 mM Trolox/g protein, respectively. In the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, corresponding values ranged from 6.26 to 20.09 and 4.02 to 13.23 mM Trolox/g protein. These findings support the potential valorisation of whey as a dairy by-product for functional food applications.