LACTOSE

Lactose is a disaccharide sugar synthesized

by galactose and glucose subunits and has
the molecular formula C12H22O11. Lactose makes up
around 2–8% of milk (by mass). The compound is a
white, water-soluble, non-hygroscopic solid with a mildly
sweet taste. It is used in the food industry.
Lactose is sometimes referred to as “milk sugar”
because it is only found naturally in the milk of
mammals—including cows, goats and humans. Milk
from cows and goats is used to make cheese and
yogurt, but not all milk products contain the same
amount of lactose.
ALPHA LACTOSE

BITA
BITA-LACTOSE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALPHA AND BITA LACTOSE
ALPHA LACTOSE BITA LACTOSE
ANOMERIC OH GROUP ON ANOMERIC OH GROUP ON
NO. CARBONE MOLECULE NO. CARBONE MOLECULE
IS ON RIGHT SIDE IS ON LEFT SIDE

STABLE AND NON RELATIVELY LOW

HYGROSCOPIC HYGROSCOPIC, GOOD
STORAGE STABILITY
LESS SWEETER THAN BITA MUCH SWEETER THAN
LACTOSE ALPHA LACTOSE
HARD CRYSTAL LESS HARD CRYSTAL
LESS DISSOLVE IN WATER MORE DISSOLVE IN
WATER
specific optional rotation specific rotation of +35.0°C
of +89.4°C
a melting point of Melting Point :
201.6°C . 255.42° C
Aqueous Weight anhydrous weigh
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF LACTOSE
Optic Property of Lactose

The specific rotation of a chemical compound [α] is defined as the

observed angle of optical rotation ‘α ’ when plane-polarized light is
passed through a sample with a path length of one decimeter and a
sample concentration of one gram per millilitre. The specific rotation
of a pure material is an intrinsic property of that material at a given
wavelength and temperature. Values should always be accompanied
by the temperature at which the measurement was performed and the
solvent in which the material was dissolved. Often the temperature is
not specified; in these cases it is assumed to be room temperature. The
formal unit for specific rotation values is deg dm-1cm3per g but
scientific literature uses just degrees. A negative value means
levorotatory rotation and a positive value means dextrorotatory
rotation.
Solubility

Lactose is freely soluble in water. However, the solubility of lactose is

much lower than that of other common sugars. Solubility increases
with increasing temperature. β-lactose dissolves more readily than α-
lactose, as is apparent from their very different initial rates of
solubility. Final solubility is the same for α- and β-lactose because of
the mutarotation equilibrium that is eventually reached in solution.
The particle size of the lactose influences its dissolving velocity.
Coarselactose crystals dissolve much slower than tiny lactose
particles.
Equilibrium in Solution (Mutarotation)
Lactose exists in two forms viz., α and β. By definition, a is the form with
greater optical rotation in the dextro direction. The specific rotation of a
substance is characteristic of that substance. Also important,besides the
variables of the equation, are temperature of the solution,wavelength of the light
source, and concentration of the solution. Regardless of the form used in the
preparation of solution, the specific rotation will continue to change until +55.4°
is reached at equilibrium. This is equivalent to the 37.3% in α form and 62.7%
in β form. Since equilibrium rotation is the sum of the individual mix of α andβ
forms. The rate of lactose mutarotation is influenced greatly by both
temperature and pH. The rate is slow at low temperature but increases as the
temperature rises, becoming almost instantaneous at about 75°C.

Crystallization of Lactose

The principal factor governing the crystalline habit of lactose is the precipitation
pressure, the ratio of actual concentration to solubility. When the pressure is high
and crystallization is forced rapidly, only prisms are formed. As precipitation
pressure lessens, the dominant crystal form changes to diamond-shape plates, then
to pyramids and tomahawks, and finally, in slow crystallization, to the fully
developed crystal. Different relative growth rates on the crystal faces account for
the various shapes observed. The rate of crystal growth increases rapidly as
supersaturation (precipitation pressure) is increased. In dairy products,
crystallization is more complex.

Density
The densities of the various lactose crystals differ slightly from each other. α-
hydrate form is 1.540, anhydrous β is 1.589,anhydrous α formed by dehydration
under vacuum is 1.544 and anhydrous αcrystallized from alcohol is 1.575.
Densities of lactose solutions are not linear functions of concentration

Oxidation

The extent to which lactose may be oxidized will vary depending up on the
particular reagent, its concentration, and other reaction conditions. Thus by
selection of conditions it is possible to derive oxidation products from lactose
which range from relatively simple alterations of the reducing carbon in the
glucose portion of the molecule to a carboxylic acid group to complete degradation
with the end products being CO2 and water.
SIGNIFICANCE OF LACTOSE IN DAIRY INDUSTRY

Lactose, a milk carbohydrate, has high nutritional value and is

mainly used as constituent of foods and medicinal products.
Lactose has various applications in food and pharmaceutical
industries due to its multifunctional properties. A significant
part of the supply of lactose (approximately 80%) goes into
food applications such as infant formula, meat products,
confectionery and bakery products, and the remaining lactose
primarily goes into different pharmaceutical products. Lactitol
production is showing interesting new application
opportunities and significant annual growth rates. In the last
decade, a number of consumer products have been launched
containing lactose ingredients, the new products

Properties of Lactose Providing Basis for Its End Uses

Lactose has various applications in food and pharmaceutical industries due to its
multifunctional properties:

36.2.1 Relative sweetness and solubility

Lactose is less sweet than sucrose, it can be used in foods such as icing, toppings
and fruit pie added to filling to increase the total solids without excessive
sweetness.

36.2.2Reducing properties
Lactose is a reducing sugar and can react with proteins, peptides and amino acids
to form brown pigments. Hence, it is used for controlled browning in the food
industry, especially in baked goods.

36.2.3Protein stabilizing properties

Lactose protects the solubility of the caseinate complex in milk during spray
drying. In absence of lactose, the caseinate complex loses approximately half of its
capacity to redisperse.
36.2.4Influence on crystallization habits
The crystallization of lactose in ice cream and sweetened condensed milk
constituted a defect if the crystals are large enough to provide a sandy or gritty
texture. This can be avoided by seeding with fine lactose powder or rapid agitation
of the mix to alter the crystallization habit of lactose.

36.2.5 Absorptive properties

Lactose absorbs flavors, aroma and coloring materials. The absorptive capacity of
anhydrous lactose offers a great potential for foods, whereas, retention of volatiles
is desirable, such as in coffee. It is also useful in trapping and removing
undesirable volatile flavour through filtration.

36.2.6 Dispersing properties

The non hygroscopic and free flowing nature of µ-lactose offers wide potential in
the food and pharmaceutical industry as a dispersing agent.

36.3 Applications and Uses of Lactose

Sweetness reduction, consistency improvement in confectionary & bakery goods,
as carrier & anti caking agent in powder foods, carrier for tablets, controlled
browning in bakery goods, flavor enhancer in sauces & dressings, nutritional
importance in infant formulas etc, are some of the desirable functional properties
and application of crystalline lactose powder.

36.3.1Pharmaceutical products
Pharmaceutical grade lactose is widely used as diluents, filler, bulking agent and
expecipient in tablets, drugs, capsules, pills, powders and other oral forms, of
which tablets are most important in its purified form. Lactose is best carrier for
tablet making. In capsules, it is filled along with the active materials and used as a
coating agent for pills and tablets. Many of the properties of crystallized lactose
make it suitable for tableting. It is a known fact that most active ingredients can’t
be used in the form in which they have been obtained by the isolation of chemical
synthesis. A drug can only be effective if it is released under proper conditions. A
drug may be distributed uniformly in powdered lactose, which is then moulded or
compressed into tablets. Other tablets may be given a lactose shell by first wetting
the tablet surface with a small amount of coating syrup, and then tumbling the
wetted pill in lactose powder. The coating seals in the contents, but is easily
handled and readily dispersible. A series of different lactose products are available
to provide a range of granular distribution, free flowability, bulk density and
avoiding segregation of mixtures to meet the growing demands of the
pharmaceutical industry. These products include those that offer directly
compressible properties, eliminating the need for tablet producers to use the costly
wet granulation process. In homeopathic medicines, lactose is used in making bio-
chemic tablets and mixtures.

36.3.2Confectionery products
The confectionery industry uses lactose in certain types of candies because it
changes the crystallization behaviour of other sugars present and improves body,
texture, chewiness and shelf-life. It can be added to fondants at 20% level to reduce
sweetness without affecting other product characteristics.
Reduced sweetness, fortification of aroma, improved colour binding, better mouth
feel and improved shelf life are the major reasons for using lactose (along with
sucrose, dextrose and fructose) in confectionery products. In chocolate and sugar
confections especially, lactose is a well established ingredient. The delayed
crystallization brought about by the addition of lactose to concentrated sucrose
solutions is useful in the coatings of various candies. It is particularly beneficial in
caramels and fudges to improve body, texture, chewiness or shelf life.

36.3.3Bakery products
In the baking industry, lactose can enhance the creaming properties of shortenings
to improve product quality, facilitate baking operations, gives increased loaf
volume and external appearance score and extend shelf-life, apparently by
minimizing starch retrogradation. It can provide better elasticity to the gluten
during heating, resulting in better crumb development, crumb stability and pastry
volume. In addition, advantage is taken of the ability of lactose to participate in the
Maillard reaction which improves browning and flavour of many baked products.
The reducing and unfermentable nature of lactose offers unique characteristics to
the baking industry. The addition of lactose increases the browning of the crust,
which is often highly desirable. Since lactose is not fermented, the functional
properties provided by the addition of lactose are not lost during manufacture
(Zadow, 1984). The improvement provided by lactose in the emulsifying
properties of shortenings result in uniform cell structure and desirable texture, thus
promoting good distribution of shortening with minimal mixture. This is of
particular value in making pie crusts, which are more tender and shorter, sheet out
better and shrink less (Webb and Whittier, 1970). Cake batter containing 10-15%
lactose on a replacement basis creamed better and yielded better volume, grain and
texture.
Cookie and doughnut doughs made with lactose can be machined rapidly, are
easily released from the moulds and retain their shape better in baking. Also,
batters show more tolerance to variations in mixing and processing. The chemical
reducing power of lactose is less than that of glucose. Therefore lactose can replace
glucose in foods in warmer climates.
36.3.4Meat and sausage products
In the meat and sausage industry, lactose may be added to raw sausage formulation
as a carbohydrate source for fermentation by selected starter cultures to produce
lactic acid for preservation in dry sausage types, such as salami. Lactose also
contributes to controlled browning of these products due to maillard reactions and
acids in masking off-flavours and after-tastes caused by emulsifying salts,
phosphates and other bitter compounds.

36.3.5Healthfoods
The most recent application for lactose and its derivatives is in the formulation of
‘nutraceutical’ health foods, believed by many to enhance health and well-being if
not actually preventing the development of certain diseases, especially in Japan.
Due to its slower rate of hydrolysis and absorption, lactose has little influence on
the blood-glucose level and therefore is less burdening for diabetics than sucrose.
Also for sportsmen this is a positive item. Lactose is a long lasting source of
carbohydrate, independent of the insulin system. Long-endurance foods
reformulated with high protein and lactose contents.

36.3.6Baby/Infantfoods
Bovine milk differs from human milk in several aspects. Human milk contains
higher concentration of lactose than bovine while mineral load is less. For
humanization of infant formulations lactose is to be adjusted to meet the intestinal
requirement of the infants. A major use of lactose is in humanized infant formulae,
where it is used to correct the balance between carbohydrate and protein in human
milk replacers based on cow’s milk. Due to its relatively slow digestion, energy is
provided to the infant over a period of several hours. Because of its bifidogenic
activity, it is viewed as being necessary for the establishment of a healthy intestinal
flora. Finally, lactose impacts on mineral absorption, enhancing absorption of
calcium, magnesium and possibly zinc, perhaps by increasing the permeability of
the villus membrane of the intestine. Lactose is also used for fortification of baby
foods.

36.3.7 Instant powdered foods

Lactose is used as an additive to improve the free-flow properties of powdered
foods. Lactose glass is used in the instantizing process to increase the dispersibility
of such foods as instantized spray dried milk powder by crystallizing to form
agglomerates. These products are free flowing and capable of dispersing rapidly,
similar to instant milk powders. The hygroscopicity of lactose has been used for
adsorbing the free moisture in low moisture foods and fixing it as water of
crystallization. One example is the coating of food particles with a liquid
flavouring and colouring material and tumbling the product in powdered lactose
glass, which absorbs surface moisture and forms a capsule around the food
particles.

36.3.8Instant soups and sauces

Lactose is added to salad dressing, mayonnaise, soups and sauces to enhance
flavour and confer added stability to various proteins in the formulations against
flocculation at acid pH and pasteurization. Because of its properties as a free-flow
agent, lactose may be added to instant powdered soups and sauces.

36.3.9Beverages
Lactose can be used to increase viscosity, improve mouth-feel and flavor without
making the product too sweet. The acceptability of milk as a beverage, especially
skimmed milk, may be attributed in part to lactose. As a supplement in skimmed
milk, butter milk or chocolate drink, it improves smoothness and mouth-feel, adds
richness and enhances acceptance. Further, the addition of 1% lactose of milk
chocolate drinks allowed the reduction of butter fat from 2 to 1%, while retaining
the same richness in flavour. It has also been used in beer manufacture because it is
not fermented by the yeast and remains in the finished product to increase viscosity
and improve mouth-feel and flavor. It has similar uses in other beverages.

36.3.10Other uses
Lactose acts as a stabilizer for proteins in acid fermented products, in frozen milk
and in high protein milk powders and milk based coffee whiteners. Addition of
lactose can improve the mouthfeel of low fat foods and impart a full flavor.
Lactose is also a carrier for artificial sweetners such as aspartame and saccharine.
In freeze dried solutions, lactose increase plug size and aid caking. In sugar coating
solutions, it is used in combination with sucrose. Lactose also Improves flavor of
raw fish.
Lower solubility of lactose than that of sucrose can be very helpful in special
applications. For example hard boiled sweets often have a tough structure if
glucose syrup is used as a crystallization retarder, replacing tartaric acid. In these
products the original brittleness can be regained by the addition of finely ground
lactose.
Other uses of lactose include its use as a substrate in the production of materials
such as penicillin and other fermentation products. The use of lactose in
fermentation broths offers advantages owing to the delayed decomposition of the
lactose. Further, supersaturated lactose has been used as a binder in making salt-
lick blocks for cattle.