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. 2021 Feb 16;10(2):433. doi: 10.3390/foods10020433

Table 2.

Commonly proposed causes of whey protein beverage (WPB) derived mouthdrying adapted from Norton et al. [89] and associated limitations.

Proposed Cause WPB Model 1 Description Limitations
pH of WPB WPC [86,122], WPI [124,139], WPI, β-LG and LF [125,126]
  • o

    Low pH can cause precipitation of the protein
  • o

    There is evidence of mouthdrying from WPB at both low and neutral pH

Saliva and protein interactions β-LG [123], WPI [124,127], WPI, β-LG and LF [125,126]
  • o

    Perception of mouthdrying has links to saliva and protein interactions

  • o

    Studies have used in vivo analysis mixing human or artificial saliva with whey proteins, but this requires sensory analysis to correlate instrumental data with mouthdrying
Reduced lubrication from saliva β-LG [128]
  • o

    Increased friction within the oral cavity from reduced lubrication

  • o

    Using instrumental analysis (such as tribology) to predict in-mouth experiences, but this requires sensory analysis to correlate instrumental data with mouthdrying
Adhesion and
binding properties 		WPC [89,134], β-LG and LF [140], WPI [130], β-LG [131]
  • o

    Whey proteins binding to oral epithelial cells, proteins remaining on surfaces, mucoadhesive properties, increased oral retention and whey protein adhering to the oral cavity

  • o

    In vivo, animal models, small subject size, without a non-protein source control, but this requires sensory analysis to correlate instrumental data with mouthdrying
Heating time WPC [86], RW [133]
  • o

    Mouthdrying is considered to increase with product heating time, potentially due to protein denaturation

  • o

    Mouthdrying is present in samples without heat treatment, albeit at lower levels, so this cannot be the sole cause

1 Whey protein beverage (WPB) model: whey protein concentration (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), β-lactoglobulin (β-LG), lactoferrin (LF) and rennet whey (RW).