Grant: Engage Grants Program

Saputo is a Canadian dairy food producer with a wide range of food products and has developed lactose-based fermentation and hydrolysis processes for proteins. The targeted peptides have applications in animal feed additives. The peptides have also health benefits for humans. In this confidential NSERC Engage project, Dr. Bierenstiel's research team will provide chemical expertise and state-of-the art equipment for rapid peptide analysis. The main equipment is an ultra performance liquid chromatograph with time-of-flight mass detector. UPLC is particularly suited for its enhanced separation, short separation times (< 5 min) and small sample quantities. Cape Breton University's Waters Xevo G2 UPLC-MSMS has a ToF detector for up to 2,000 m/z with elemental composition accuracy and quantitative capability. The quaternary solvent system with +/- modes for ESI and CI allows for excellent tailoring of analytical methods. The double focussed MSMS has a selective ion mode option (SIMS) that allows specific targeting of molecules/peptides in a complex matrix. In addition, the UPLC is connected to a photodiode array (PDA) detector allowing UV-vis profiling without mass restrictions. Results of rapid peptide analyses will be used for improvement and optimization of fermentation and protein hydrolysis process.