The Role of Milk Proteins as Stabilizers in Alcoholic Beverages and Their Interactions

This article investigates the functional role of milk proteins – especially caseinates and whey proteins (β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin) – as stabilizers in various alcoholic beverage systems. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of these proteins in aspects such as colloidal stability, haze prevention, preservation of sensory qualities and resistance to structural changes. The study was conducted on both synthetic model ethanol systems (10–40% ethanol) and real beverage samples – red wine, whiskey and alcoholic cocktails. Turbidimetry, zeta potential measurements, dynamic light scattering (DLS), FTIR and CD spectroscopy, as well as sensory analyses were applied for the analyses. The results of the study prove that milk proteins can perform an effective and natural stabilizer function in alcoholic beverages as an alternative to synthetic and animal-derived stabilizers. Their use in combination with plant-derived proteins, increasing antioxidant value and application in sensory-adapted formulations promise important prospects for future research.