Structure of Casein Phosphopeptides

Casein Phosphopeptides (CPP) are biologically active peptides made from bovine milk casein.CPP molecule consists of 20 to 30 amino acid residues, including 4 to 7 phosphoric acid filaments in clusters. A large number of experiments have proved that CPP can effectively promote the absorption and utilization of calcium, iron, zinc and other divalent mineral nutrients.

Production process

The basic process of CPP production is:

Casein → enzymatic reaction → enzyme inactivation → drying → CPP finished products from the above process CPP content of 12% to 20%, if the separation and purification can be obtained by a higher content of the product.

Mechanism of action

CPP has moderate binding with calcium, such binding strength can protect calcium ions from precipitation, and enough to promote a large amount of dissolved calcium to the intestinal mucosa transit, but not too tightly bound to affect the absorption of calcium.

The binding between CPP and calcium is dynamic, calcium ions are continuously bound and released by CPP, and then bound and released again, thus one phosphate group in the CPP molecule can protect more than 30 calcium ions from being precipitated.

It is one of the biologically active peptide food additives that have been industrially produced so far, which has a high absorption rate compared with VD, has no toxic side effects, and improves the absorption rate of other divalent minerals, such as zinc and iron, etc. CPP promotes the passive diffusion absorption of unsaturable calcium in the lower part of the small intestine, which is independent of the changes in age and VD.

Main effects

4.1 Promotes the absorption of calcium in the small intestine

Cereals in the human diet contain a large amount of phytic acid, inositol hexaphosphate and other high-phosphorus components, which combine with calcium to form calcium phosphate precipitates at pH 7-8 in the lower intestine.

CPP can inhibit the formation of calcium phosphate precipitation, keep the concentration of free calcium high, and promote the passive absorption of calcium, which is another way to use vitamin D as a calcium absorption enhancer.

4.2 Promote the utilization of calcium by bones

Animal experiments show that CPP can promote the absorption and utilization of calcium, weaken osteoclast action and inhibit bone resorption.

4.3 Promote the utilization of calcium by teeth

In the past, it was believed that chewing cheese after meal can stimulate saliva secretion, make alkaline saliva buffer plaque on the acidic substances on the tooth enamel corrosion, help to prevent the occurrence of dental caries.

In recent years, research has found that cheese contains CPP can be food in the calcium ions combined in the caries, reduce the enamel demineralization, so as to achieve the purpose of anti-caries.

At present, foreign countries have applied CPP to children’s curry rice, drinks, chewing gum and other food and health products. The research and application on children’s calcium deficiency, osteoporosis in the elderly, treatment of infertility and dental health care are also in progress.

Application prospect and scope of CPP

The market prospect of adding CPP products from the calcium nutritional status of Chinese people The dietary composition of Chinese people is based on plant food, which contains a large number of factors affecting the absorption of calcium, iron and zinc, such as phytic acid, oxalic acid, cellulose, etc., so that the calcium deficiency of the Chinese people is particularly serious.

At present, the problem of calcium deficiency is common in all age groups from children to middle-aged and elderly people in China. This makes the domestic calcium supplements health care products market for many years to maintain the everlasting phenomenon, the consumer’s awareness of calcium supplementation has changed from “acceptance” to “spontaneous”.

In addition to calcium, Chinese people are most likely to lack of minerals are iron and zinc, CPP can not only promote the absorption of calcium, iron, zinc absorption and utilization also has a good effect to promote, which makes the application of CPP in nutritionally fortified food and health food has attracted much attention.

Therefore, the development of CPP-added nutritious food and health products can really achieve the purpose of effectively supplementing the lack of minerals in the human body to meet people’s nutritional needs, and will certainly produce great economic and social benefits.

In GB 14880-2012 National Standard for Food Safety, the scope and dosage are stipulated in the standard for the use of food nutritional enhancers: