Calcium caseinate is one of several milk proteins derived from

casein Casein ( , from Latin ''caseus'' "cheese") is a family of related phosphoproteins ( αS1, aS2, β, κ) that are commonly found in mammalian milk, comprising about 80% of the proteins in cow's milk and between 20% and 60% of the proteins in hum ...

in skim and 1% milk. Calcium caseinate is primarily used in meal preparation and fat breakdown. Caseinates are produced by adding an alkali to another derivative of casein, acid casein. The type of caseinate is determined by the cation added alongside the acid casein. Other cations used to form caseinates besides

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

include ammonium,

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosph ...

, and

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

. Calcium caseinate contains about 17% glutamic acid. Calcium caseinate is also soluble and does not clot in the stomach.

Physical Properties

Calcium caseinate is generally stable at a pH above 5.7, and appears as a milky liquid. This is unlike ammonium, potassium, and sodium caseinates, which are practically clear. At a neutral or acidic pH, casein is relatively insoluble in water, and is easily separated from other milk proteins, sugars, and minerals. Most caseinates are capable of withstanding temperatures of 140°C (284°F), however calcium caseinate is influenced by heat with temperatures as low as 50°C (122°F). Calcium is a

divalent In chemistry, the valence (US spelling) or valency (British spelling) of an chemical element, element is the measure of its combining capacity with other atoms when it forms chemical compounds or molecules. Description The combining capacity, ...

cation, allowing it to form bonds with several caseinate anions. This leads to the formation of several

covalent bonds A covalent bond is a chemical bond that involves the sharing of electrons to form electron pairs between atoms. These electron pairs are known as shared pairs or bonding pairs. The stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between atoms ...

between caseinate anions, which can ultimately cause the cross-linked caseinate to form pockets of

hydrophobic In chemistry, hydrophobicity is the physical property of a molecule that is seemingly repelled from a mass of water (known as a hydrophobe). In contrast, hydrophiles are attracted to water. Hydrophobic molecules tend to be nonpolar and, t ...

regions.

Food Content and Uses of Casein

Several foods, creamers, and toppings all contain a variety of caseinates. Sodium caseinate acts as a greater food additive for stabilizing processed foods, however companies could opt to use calcium caseinate to increase calcium content and decrease sodium levels in their products.

Notes

Mammalian proteins Dairy products Calcium compounds Food additives {{Protein-stub