Milk proteins modified by enzymatic hydrolysis have potential
for optimizing functional properties. The most common method
of improving the functional properties of milk proteins is to
subject them to enzymatic hydrolysis. However, a limited
number of studies correlated their results with the biochemical
properties of the proteolytic enzymes to understand the
mechanism of action by which the functional properties of the
milk proteins are affected by the specificity of the proteases. In
this review, the primary focus is the use of enzymatic hydrolysis
of milk proteins as a tool for enhancing their functional
properties, emphasizing protein solubility, gelation, and
emulsion capacities. In particular, there is a discussion of the
specificities of the proteolytic enzymes.