Whey protein isolates (WPI) are known to have mineral-binding capacity to promote iron absorption. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of iron ratio on the conformational structure of iron-bound whey protein isolate (WPI-Fe) and its thermodynamic stability. It was shown that the iron to protein ratio affects both the iron binding capacity of WPI and the iron valence state on the surface of WPI-Fe complexes. As the iron content increases, aggregation between protein molecules occurs. In addition, WPI-Fe nanoparticles have thermodynamic stability and Fe has a high affinity with WPI for spontaneous exothermic reactions. This study demonstrates that WPI-Fe complexes can be used to efficiently deliver high-quality iron source (Fe) for future iron supplements.

中文翻译：

---

不同铁比例对结合乳清分离蛋白相互作用和热力学稳定性的影响

众所周知，乳清分离蛋白 (WPI) 具有矿物质结合能力，可促进铁吸收。本研究的目的是研究铁比例对铁结合乳清分离蛋白（WPI-Fe）构象结构及其热力学稳定性的影响。结果表明，铁与蛋白质的比例既影响 WPI 的铁结合能力，也影响 WPI-Fe 复合物表面的铁价态。随着铁含量的增加，蛋白质分子之间发生聚集。此外，WPI-Fe纳米粒子具有热力学稳定性，并且Fe与WPI具有高亲和力，可发生自发放热反应。这项研究表明，WPI-Fe 复合物可用于有效地为未来的铁补充剂提供高质量的铁源 (Fe)。