Vitamin C Binding to Proteins Under Various Conditions

The supplement industry has been growing in size and popularity recently, reaching hundreds of billions of dollars. Supplements such as protein and vitamins are staples in people’s quest to become healthier and live better lives. With the increased interest in health, it is important to design the best supplements that provide the most nutritional value for the least cost. In this research project, the binding of Vitamin C to Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) and Beta-Lactoglobulin (B-LG) to Vitamin C was examined. We analyzed the particle size distribution, zeta potential, and the polydispersity index (PDI) of Vitamin C mixed with WPC or B-LG at two different pH levels. The overall trend in the experiments indicated an increase in size, zeta potential, and PDI alongside an increase in Vitamin C concentration for the B-LG. The trend was more mixed for the WPC and Vitamin C analysis. Overall, this shows that the characteristics of B-LG and WPC mixed with Vitamin C are pH dependent. These effects can cause unwanted characteristics when designing supplements for consumers.