Application of Lactoperoxidase System in Fish and Food Products: A Review

Milk is known to contain proteins (e.g. lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulins) and free peptides having specific non-nutritional physiological functions. Lactoperoxidase (LP), is undoubtedly important in the case of the human infant, but it potentially has greater significance and functional role in milk industry. LP, a non-haem iron-binding glycoprotein, is a peroxidase enzyme secreted from mammary, salivary and other mucosal glands. The lactoperoxidase system (LPS) plays an important role in the innate immune system by killing bacteria in milk and mucosal secretions hence augmentation of the LPS may have therapeutic applications. Furthermore, addition or augmentation of the lactoperoxidase system has potential applications in controlling bacteria in food and consumer health care products. Though the most extensively suggested industrial application of the LPS in food production is for the preservation of raw milk during storage and transportation to the site of plants, additional novel applications of the LP system are being considered. In the present article, mechanisms of LPS’s action and its potential biological functions in food systems were illustrated.