Food Protein Biochemistry Laboratory

This laboratory of biochemistry of food proteins provides scientific-technical support to the research lines developed by this group, mainly focused on milk proteins, and in relation to their biological activity, the effect of their interactions with certain ligands, and the repercussion of different technological conservation treatments on their activity.

For this purpose, this laboratory is equipped to carry out isolation and characterization techniques of proteins of food origin, and for performing specific assays to evaluate the presence and quantity of certain proteins in a biological material.

On the other hand, this laboratory also develops immunochemical techniques for application to certain assays related to food quality and safety. Regarding the former, these techniques are used as support in the detection of food fraud, among others, the substitution of species in dairy products, the presence of colostrum in drinking milk or transgenic vegetables in food. In relation to food safety, this laboratory, through the development of immunochemical techniques, deals with the detection of the presence of certain proteins in foods that cause food allergies.

In terms of laboratory resources, a low pressure liquid chromatography system ÄKTATM Start Protein Purification System, coupled with UNICORNTM Start Control Software and a Frac30 Fraction Collector, all from GE Healthcare Life Science, is available to perform chromatographies for protein purification at a preparative level.

In addition, the following equipment is available:

• Semi-dry transfer system for Western-blotting TE-70 Semi-Dry-Transfer Unit (14 x16 cm) from Amersham Bioscience.
• Vertical electrophoresis system model Mini-Protean® 3 Cell from Bio-Rad
• Horizontal electrophoresis system Phast-System from Pharmacia
• Split 6505 UV/Vis beam system spectrophotometer from Jenway
• Thermo ScientificTM WellwashTM 4 MK 2 multiwell plate washer
• LabsystemsTM MultiskanTM MS version 3.0 Type352 multiwell plate reader
• Long Beach EPSON EU-88 Image Scanner III from Long Beach
• TelstarTM PV-30/70 vertical laminar flow hood