This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date exploration of lactoferrin, one of the most important bioactive proteins in milk, and its expanding role in modern dairy science and technology. With the growing demand for functional foods, natural preservatives, nutraceutical ingredients, and health-promoting dairy products, lactoferrin has gained considerable attention due to its multi-functional biological and technological properties. The text offers an in-depth understanding of the significance of lactoferrin in dairy systems, covering both scientific foundations and industrial applications. The book presents detailed information on the occurrence of lactoferrin in milk and dairy by-products, along with advanced methods for its extraction, purification, characterization, and large-scale production. It highlights the physicochemical, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, and functional attributes that make lactoferrin an important component in dairy processing and product innovation. Considerable emphasis is placed on its stability during milk processing operations and its interactions with other milk proteins and dairy constituents. The volume further discusses the application of lactoferrin in functional dairy foods, infant nutrition, fermented milk products, and clinical dietary formulations. Emerging technologies, such as encapsulation systems, targeted delivery approaches, and recombinant production strategies are also explored to illustrate recent advances in improving the effectiveness and commercial utilization of lactoferrin. Prepared for students, researchers, academicians, dairy technologists, food scientists, and industry professionals, this book serves as a valuable reference for understanding the diverse applications of lactoferrin in dairy technology. By integrating fundamental concepts with recent technological developments and industrial perspectives, the book supports the advancement of functional dairy science and the development of innovative value-added dairy products aimed at improving human health and nutrition.
Dr. Prasanta Kumar Choudhury is working as an Associate Professor and Head in the Department of Dairy Technology, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha. He obtained his Ph.D degree from the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal in the field of Dairy Microbiology. He has more than 7 years of experience in various capacities in different national and internationally funded research schemes. In addition to that, he has also published more than 25 research papers/reviews/book chapters in journals of national and international repute and more than 908 citations and an h-index of 13 to his credit. Most outstandingly for his contributions in anaerobic microbiology, he has received many awards for his presentations at various scientific forums. He has received the Young Researcher Award from the Institute of Scholars Bangalore for his outstanding work on probiotic bacteria. Also, he is associated with the reviewer in the editorial board of Systems Microbiology and International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. His field of expertise is associated with probiotic functional foods and rumen microbiology.
Dr. Rajashree Jena is an Assistant Professor in the School of Agricultural and Bio-Engineering at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. With over nine years of academic and research experience, including more than seven years at CUTM, she is specialized in Dairy Microbiology, probiotics, and fermented dairy product development. She earned her Ph.D. in Dairy Microbiology from ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, where she developed molecular markers for differentiating Bifidobacterium species. Her research contributions include over 10 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters with more than 350 citations and an h-index of 6. She has guided numerous undergraduate and post-graduate projects and contributed to institutional projects, such as lactoferrin encapsulation for food applications. She is the recipient of several awards, including the National Excellence Achievers Award (2024) and Young Researcher Award (2022). She is recognized for her dedication to teaching, research, and knowledge dissemination in dairy science.
Dr. Soma Maji is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Technology at JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. She holds more than 6 years of academic experience, specializing in Dairy Technology and Food Technology with a specialized focus on Dairy Chemistry. She holds a B.Tech in Dairy Technology and M.Tech in Dairy Chemistry and has earned her Ph.D. in Dairy Chemistry from the prestigious National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana. Her research contributions focused on advancing the science of dairy-based functional foods, food quality evaluation, sustainable product development, encapsulation of bio-active compounds, food waste valorization, characterization of panchgavya. She has attended and presented papers at national and international conferences and published multiple research articles, review article, popular articles in reputed journals, books, book chapters and published patent. Her academic contributions are complemented by her commitment to outcome-based education, student mentorship and interdisciplinary learning.
Dr. Mitul Bumbadiya is an ARS-Scientist at ICAR–National Research Centre on Camel, where he has been serving for the past three years. He has also gained academic experience as an Assistant Professor at Kamdhenu University, Gujarat. His expertise lies in Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Technology, and value addition of non-bovine milk, particularly camel milk. He completed his B.Tech in Dairy Technology from Anand Agricultural University and obtained his M.Tech and Ph.D. in Dairy Chemistry from ICAR National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal. His research focuses on characterization of biomolecules from non-bovine milk species, evaluation of dairy potential of Indian dromedary camels using phenomics and genomics approaches, and enhancement of techno-functional properties of camel milk through innovative technologies. He has also contributed to projects on jute–camel hair blended fibre development with testing facilities and strengthening camel milk production systems in India through market and institutional approaches.His work includes advanced processing techniques, such as ultrasound-assisted enzymatic modification to improve the quality and functionality of camel milk hydrolysates. He is actively involved in research, technology development, and dissemination related to camel milk and its value-added products.
1. Introduction to Lactoferrin.......................................................................1
2. Sources and Occurrence of Lactoferrin in Milk and Dairy By-products...........................................................................17
3. Advanced Techniques for Extraction and Purification of Lactoferrin..............................................................................................39
4. Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Lactoferrin...................63
5. Stability of LactoferrinDuring Milk Processing Operations..................89
6. Role of Lactoferrin in Enhancing Nutritional Quality of Dairy Products....................................................................111
7. Anti-microbial Applications of Lactoferrin in Dairy Preservation............................................................................129
8. Lactoferrin as a Natural Bioactive Ingredient in Functional Dairy Food.....................................................................149
9. Applications of Lactoferrin in Infant Formula and Clinical Nutrition...........................................................................169
10. Encapsulation and Delivery Systems for Lactoferrin in Dairy Matrices...............................................................183
11. Interaction of Lactoferrin with Other Milk Proteins and Components.....................................................................207
12. Use of Lactoferrin in Fermented Dairy Products: Yogurt and Cheese................................................................................233
13. Role of Lactoferrin in Improving Shelf-life and Safety of Milk Products.................................................................255
14. Biotechnological Approaches for Enhancing Lactoferrin Production............................................................................................273
15. Analytical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Lactoferrin............................................................................................299
16. Regulatory, Commercialization, and Market Trends of Lactoferrin in Dairy Technology..........................................325
