Bioactive compounds in fermented dairy foods

Abstract

Bioactive compounds formed in situ or added during manufacture of fermented dairy foods, such as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), caseinophophopeptides (CPP) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) have shown to exert various biological activities affecting digestive, cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. In particular, the prebiotic capacity of GOS, anticariogenic activity of CPP and anti-carcinogenic and anti-adipogenic effects of CLA, are some of the most important. GOS, non-digestible carbohydrates comprised of galactose and glucose, are produced by the activity of β-galactosidases enzymes on lactose. In turn, CPP are derived from caseins by the action of proteolytic enzymes (trypsin, quimotrypsin), and CLA is synthesized by microbial activity from its precursor fatty acid (mainly linoleic acid). This chapter presents an overview the current knowledge on technological approaches for manufacturing of fermented dairy foods enriched in GOS, CPP and CLA, as well as aspects concerning nutrition and health.