Enzymes indigenous to milk | other enzymes

Several enzymes have been identified or purified from mammalian milk in trace amounts. Some of these enzymes have specific and established functions in the mammary gland, in milk, or in the newborn (e.g., catalase, lysozyme, lactate dehydrogenase). Their activities in milk may reflect physiological changes or a pathological state of the mammary gland during lactation. They may play a role in gastrointestinal function, nutrient digestion, and delivery to the newborn (e.g., amylases, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase). Others function by protecting the newborn against oxidative damage and bacterial and viral infections (e.g., lysozyme). Some of the enzymes have been exploited technologically (e.g., catalase and lysozyme) and may play a role in dairy foods. This review focuses on individual enzymes indigenous to milk that are not discussed in detail in other sections of this encyclopedia. Their functions, properties, and established functions in milk are described