Effect of Milk Fat Globule Membrane in Reversing Heme-Stimulated Bacterial Growth in Whey

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Growth of mastitic pathogenic bacteria was followed by turbidometry in hemin-enriched bovine whey. Hemin clearly promoted growth of bacteria. The milk fat globule membrane, when added to the hemin-enriched media, abolished much of the growth-enhancing effect offered by hemin. A Scatchard plot of hemin-binding showed that hemin was bound to the milk fat globule membrane by a specific mechanism as well as nonspecifically. Heme-binding to the milk fat globule membrane should be considered an important antibacterial mechanism in milk.