Osmolality and molar mass of oligosaccharides in breast milks and infant formula during hydrolysis of lactose. Application of high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy.

β-Galactosidase formulations can be added to infant milks prior to feeding to reduce the level of lactose and to avoid symptoms of lactose intolerance. The hydrolysis of lactose affects osmolality, which is an important property of infant milk. This paper introduces novel ultrasonic technology for precision, real-time, non-destructive monitoring of osmolality of infant milks, including breast milk, during enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose by supplemental β-galactosidases. This technology can be utilised in the development and testing of β-galactosidase formulations. Additionally, ultrasonic real-time measurements of the average degree of polymerisation and molar mass of milk saccharides throughout the hydrolysis are discussed. Comparison of the ultrasonic results with discontinuous data of osmometry and HPLC showed an excellent agreement between the different techniques. The results elucidate the osmolality dynamics involved in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose in milks.