Short communication: Bovine α-casein is a ferritin-binding protein and inhibitory factor of milk ferritin immunoassay

Commercial bovine milk α-casein, but not β- and κ-caseins, bound to bovine spleen ferritin, as determined by an immunoassay for ferritin. In contrast, α-casein did not bind to apoferritin. The binding of α-casein to bovine spleen ferritin was strongly inhibited by increasing ionic strength by the addition of 0.5 M (NH4)2SO4. The addition of α-casein to a known amount of bovine spleen ferritin resulted in significantly lower recovery (78-80%) of added ferritin, although β- and κ-caseins showed little inhibitory effect in the ferritin immunoassay. These results indicate that bovine α-casein is a specific ferritin-binding protein that may inhibit milk ferritin immunoassay.