IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,369,597
Granted Patent B2
US 12,369,597 · App. 16/604,134 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Lactase enzymes with improved activity at low temperatures

Inventors: Hans Raj (Hoersholm, DK); Pernille Smith (Broenshoej, DK); Thomas Eckhardt (Birkeroed, DK); Vojislav Vojinovic (Graested, DK); Charlotte Elisabeth Grüner Schöller (Virum, DK); Johannes Maarten Van Den Brink (Herlev, DK)
Assignee: Kerry Group Services International Ltd
A23C9/1206C12N9/2471
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,369,597
App. No.
16/604,134
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to new improved peptide or dimeric peptides exhibiting beta-galactosidase enzyme activity as well as improved methods for reducing the lactose content in compositions in particular at low temperatures.

Claims (29)

1. A method for producing a dairy product, comprising:

(a) mixing a milk-based substrate comprising lactose at a concentration of at least 10 g/L and a peptide or a dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity at a concentration of 10 to 55 mg/L; and

(b) incubating the mixture at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C. for a period of time sufficient to reduce the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.2 g/L,

wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 1-6 or 8-33, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 22 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions, and exhibits beta-galactosidase enzyme activity at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C.

2. A method for reducing the lactose content in a milk-based substrate, comprising:

(a) mixing a milk-based substrate comprising lactose at a concentration of at least 10 g/L and a peptide or a dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity at a concentration of 10 to 55 mg/L; and

(b) incubating the mixture at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C. for a period of time sufficient to reduce the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.2 g/L,

wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 1-6 or 8-33, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 22 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions, and exhibits beta-galactosidase enzyme activity at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 22, 33, 14, 9, 11, 30 or 1, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 22 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is added at a concentration of 35 to 52 mg/L.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the milk-based substrate comprising lactose is selected from:

(i) a pasteurized, raw, and/or filtered form of cow milk, sheep milk, goat milk, buffalo milk, or camel milk; or

(ii) a fermented dairy product obtained from (i) by fermentation.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the milk-based substrate comprising lactose is cow milk comprising lactose at a concentration of about 37 to 50 g/L, or a heat treated, pasteurized, and/or filtered form thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lactose concentration of less than 0.2 g/l is reached after incubation for 4-24 hours.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the incubation temperature in step (b) is in the range of from 2° C.-7° C.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the incubation in step (b) reduces the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.05 g/L.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is heated to a temperature of at least 60° C. for at least four seconds before or after incubating the mixture at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is heated to a temperature of 72° C. for about 15 seconds before or after incubating the mixture at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C. in step (b).

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises a step of fermenting the milk-based substrate with lactic acid bacteria.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the fermentation step is carried out before or after the incubation with the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dairy product is selected from a fermented milk product, cheese, yoghurt, butter, dairy spread, butter milk, acidified milk drink, sour cream, whey based drink, ice cream, condensed milk, dulce de leche, and a flavored milk drink.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 13, 19, 26, or 27, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 22 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is added at a concentration of 45 to 52 mg/L.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lactose concentration of less than 0.2 g/l lactose is reached after incubation for 24 hours.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the incubation in step (b) reduces the lactose concentration in the mixture to less than 0.01 g/L.

19. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the mixture comprising the milk-based substrate and the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is heated to a temperature of 140° C. for about four seconds before or after incubating the mixture at a temperature from 1° C.-10° C.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 1-6 or 8-33, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 5 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions.

21. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the peptide or the dimeric peptide exhibiting beta-galactosidase activity is selected from a peptide having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs. 1-6 or 8-33, or a variant thereof having from 1 to 5 amino acid substitutions, additions, or deletions.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2024
From: CHR. HANSEN A/S
To: KERRY GROUP SERVICES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 067309/0489 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2020
From: RAJ, HANS; SMITH, PERNILLE; ECKHARDT, THOMAS; VOJINOVIC, VOJISLAV; SCHÖLLER, CHARLOTTE ELISABETH GRÜNER; VAN DEN BRINK, JOHANNES MAARTEN
To: CHR. HANSEN A/S
Reel/Frame 051470/0924 →
Priority Claims (2)
EP 17166021 · Apr 11, 2017 · regional
EP 17188732 · Aug 31, 2017 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230210121A1 · Jul 6, 2023
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