Extraction of phospholipids from a dairy by-product (whey protein phospholipid concentrate) using ethanol

There has been a great interest in the phospholipids (PL) found in dairy products because of their health and functional properties. In this study, a technology that was originally developed for egg yolk PL extraction was applied to whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC). This method successfully precipitated the proteins present in WPPC and extracted the lipids with a renewable alcoholic solvent, ethanol. The effect of ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, and extraction number on the recovery of total lipid, total PL, and individual PL class was evaluated. The optimum processing conditions for a combined 5-stage sequential extraction for producing a PL-enriched lipid fraction were determined to be 70% ethanol at 70°C, and the total lipid recovery, total PL recovery, and PL content achieved were 40.7, 58.1, and 45.8%, respectively. A lipid fraction with high nutritional value (high content of sphingomyelin or phosphatidylserine) can also be obtained by adjusting extraction conditions and collecting specific fractions, although the yield may decrease. Overall, producing a PL-rich lipid fraction from WPPC using ethanol extraction is feasible and scalable, and different processing conditions can be used depending on the type of lipid product desired.