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Dietary bioactive peptides.

Evidence indicates that hydrolyzed protein fragments (i.e., peptides) cross the small intestine and reach peripheral tissue via the systemic circulation. Dietary peptides can have specific actions locally, on the gastrointestinal tract, or at more distant sites. These bioactive peptides can alter cellular metabolism and may act as vasoregulators, growth factors, releasing hormones, or neurotransmitters. The available nitrogen choices for enteral nutrition are free amino acids, peptides, or intact proteins. Current experimental evidence indicates that diets that possess the capability of producing luminal peptides are superior to diets lacking this capacity. The parent protein used for enteral nutrition generates specific peptides that can also dictate a variety of metabolic responses. The concept of dietary bioactive peptides offers an explanation for varying effects of diet on physiologic responses. These concepts have spurred research efforts into the possibility of enteral administration of biogenic amines.

Amino Acids↗

Bioactive peptides derived from food.

As interest in the ability of functional foods to impact on human health has grown over the past decade, so has the volume of knowledge detailing the beneficial roles of food-derived bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides from both plant and animal proteins have been discovered, with to date, by far the most being isolated from milk-based products. A wide range of activities has been described, including antimicrobial and antifungal properties, blood pressure-lowering effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, antithrombotic effects, enhancement of mineral absorption, immunomodulatory effects, and localized effects on the gut. Although there is still considerable research to be performed in the area of food-derived bioactive peptides, it is clear that the generation of bioactive peptides from dietary proteins during the normal digestive process is of importance. Therefore, it will become necessary when determining dietary protein quality to consider the potential effects of latent bioactive peptides that are released during digestion of the protein.

Absorption↗

Gastrointestinal digestion governs insect protein hydrolysis and predicted bioactive peptide release: Species-dependent implications for functional food applications.

This study investigates the digestion of insect proteins and the release of predicted bioactive peptides during human gastrointestinal digestion. Using the Infogest in vitro model, mealworm, cricket, and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) proteins were digested and analyzed through discovery proteomics and bioinformatics to identify predicted bioactive peptides. Sequential windowed acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectra (SWATH-MS) quantified insect proteins including predicted bioactive peptide precursor proteins, the precursors of predicted bioactive peptides. Results indicated that gastrointestinal digestion strongly influences peptide release, with the gastric phase exhibiting a richer predicted bioactive peptide profile than the small intestinal phase. Many predicted bioactive peptides were rapidly hydrolysed under small intestine conditions, which may lead to reduced stability or diminished activity in vivo, potentially explaining why certain peptides show strong bioactivity in vitro but limited effects in vivo. Additionally, predicted bioactive peptide release varied by insect species, influenced by genetic factors and peptide abundance. These findings highlight the importance of species selection and consideration of proteolytic digestion patterns in optimizing insect-derived bioactive peptides for functional foods and nutraceutical applications.

Animals↗

Functional and Nutritional Potential of Chickpea Protein Hydrolysates: A Systematic Review and Plant-protein Network Analysis.

Chickpea is a protein-rich legume increasingly explored as a substrate for functional plant-based ingredients. Chickpea protein hydrolysates (CPHs) and chickpea-derived peptides (CPs), obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis or simulated gastrointestinal digestion, may provide technological and biological properties while supporting the valorization of chickpea fractions and by-products. This review integrates a network analysis of title-abstract terms from 5,728 unique Scopus and PubMed records on plant protein hydrolysates with a systematic review of 72 studies focused on CPH production, peptide characterization, bioactivity, and translational gaps. The evidence indicates that CPHs and CPs show promising antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer-related activities, mainly supported by biochemical assays, cell models, and animal studies. However, heterogeneous hydrolysis protocols, incomplete peptide characterization, inconsistent bioactivity methods, limited scale-up evidence, and the absence of human intervention trials restrict translation. Future studies should prioritize standardized protocols, mechanistic validation, bioavailability, sensory and regulatory assessment, food-matrix validation, and clinical trials.

Cicer↗

Olive leaf protein hydrolysates yield gastro-resistant peptides with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential: peptidomics, in vitro validation and molecular docking analyses.

Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves are an abundant olive-oil by-product and a promising feedstock for sustainable valorisation. An olive leaf protein isolate (OLPI) from olive-leaf powder (OLP) was enzymatically hydrolysed to yield seven hydrolysates (OLPHs). All showed notable antioxidant activity as whole hydrolysate matrices (EC₅₀ = 0.11-0.28 mg mL-1); likely reflecting the combined contribution of released peptides and co-extracted phenolic compounds; the 15-min Alcalase product (OLPH15A) showed high activity with the shortest processing time. Its INFOGEST digest (dOLPH15A) attenuated LPS-induced inflammation in Caco-2 cells, down-regulating pro-inflammatory and up-regulating anti-inflammatory genes. Peptidomics identified 7037 peptides in OLPH15A and 534 in dOLPH15A, from which twenty gastro-resistant sequences were prioritised for in silico analysis. Multi-tool prediction and docking highlighted four peptides, GAAGGIGQPL, QSAYPGTGPL, GGGAGGGDGGIL and LDAQFPGVN, with favourable predicted affinity for the TLR4/MD2 complex, suggesting that they may contribute to the observed immunomodulatory response. These findings position olive leaves as a viable source of protein hydrolysate-based ingredients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, advancing the valorisation of olive-oil by-products.

Olea↗

Discovery and characterization of multifunctional bioactive peptides from Alaska Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) milt: hybrid in silico, in vitro, and proteomic approaches.

The growing demand for multifunctional bioactive peptides has sparked interest in underutilized marine by-products as sustainable bioresources. This study explored Alaska Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) milt protein as a novel source of peptides with anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic effects. Protein composition was analyzed via LC-MS, followed by in silico digestion and bioactivity prediction. Molecular docking identified peptides targeting DPP-IV, α-glucosidase, ACE, GLP-1 receptor, COX-2, MuRF1, and the 20S proteasome. Among the candidates, a promising peptide (CLPPH) was synthesized and validated in vitro, demonstrating inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production, DPP-IV, ACE, and α-glucosidase. These results highlight CLPPH's potential as a multifunctional bioactive peptide and support the valorization of Alaska Pollock milt as a sustainable source for functional foods and nutraceutical applications.

Animals↗

Bioactive peptides for meat quality and preservation: Integrating peptidomics and computational screening.

Bioactive peptides generated from meat proteins, fermented meat products, and slaughter by-products have attracted increasing attention as functional molecules for improving meat quality and preservation. In meat systems, peptides can be produced through endogenous postmortem proteolysis, microbial fermentation, gastrointestinal digestion, or controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of underutilized animal by-products. These peptides are closely associated with key meat science endpoints, including postmortem tenderization, oxidative stability, color retention, flavor development, microbial inhibition, and the valorization of processing by-products. However, although high-resolution peptidomics has greatly expanded the identification of meat-derived peptide sequences, their translation into practical meat applications remains limited by matrix interactions, processing stability, sensory constraints, safety concerns, and insufficient validation in real meat systems. This review synthesizes recent advances in meat-related peptidomics and computational screening, including sequence-based prediction, machine learning, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, stability assessment, and safety-oriented filtering. Particular attention is given to how these approaches can prioritize peptides with antioxidant, antimicrobial, flavor-modulating, and preservation-related functions under meat-specific technological constraints. By integrating peptide generation pathways, mass spectrometry-based identification, in silico prioritization, and meat quality endpoints, this review proposes a stage-gated framework for translating meat-derived bioactive peptides from discovery to application. Future research should strengthen matrix-specific validation, standardized peptidomic reporting, and safety assessment to support the use of bioactive peptides in meat quality improvement, clean-label preservation, and circular utilization of meat industry by-products.

Animals↗

Diversification of yeast proteins as an approach for the development of sustainable food systems.

Despite growing trend in sustainable protein sources, yeast proteins have mainly been explored as a source of bioactive peptides using a monospecies and general protein approach. The contribution of highly abundant protein fractions in the yeast proteome to peptide formation remains insufficiently investigated, limiting a comprehensive understanding of yeast proteins as optimized peptide sources. The current review presents a systematic analysis of yeast proteins as emerging protein sources and evaluates the suitability of high-abundance proteins as bioactive peptide precursors by in silico techniques. Moreover, brewery by-product and single-cell yeast protein approaches are compared in terms of composition and techno-functionality whereas peptide formation mechanisms (in situ and ex situ) and regulatory aspects for food applications are also addressed. Cytoplasmic metabolic proteins, particularly glycolytic enzymes (GAPDH), are identified as highly abundant fractions of the yeast proteome. Proteins associated with cell and organelle membranes also contribute substantially based on cellular localization. These findings imply that such proteins may act as key precursors of yeast-derived bioactive peptides. In silico hydrolysis with Alcalase suggests a tendency toward the generation of short-chain peptides (3-11/14 aa), which may support biological activity. Moreover, peptide profiles appear to vary across yeast species, highlighting the role of species diversity in peptide generation. While single-cell yeast protein allows more controlled production than brewery by-products, nucleic acid content in both may limit applications. Overall, yeast proteins appear to be metabolically adaptable and species-diverse sources for various biological peptides.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae↗

Bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins. Structural, physiological and analytical aspects.

The primary function of dietary proteins is to supply the body adequately with indispensable amino acids and organic nitrogen. Little attention has been paid up to date to milk proteins, in particular caseins, that are currently the main source of biologically active peptides, although other animal as well as vegetable proteins are known to contain potentially bioactive sequences. Such regulatory peptides can be released by enzymatic proteolysis of caseins in vitro and in vivo and may act as potential physiological modulators of metabolism during the intestinal digestion of the diet. It has been proved that bioactive peptides derived from caseins, such as beta-casomorphins and phosphopeptides, can be released during gastrointestinal passage. It is also evident that peptides originating from food proteins should be taken into account as potential modulators of various regulatory processes in the body. The possible regulatory effects concern nutrient uptake (phosphopeptides, casomorphins), postprandial hormone secretion (casomorphins), immune defense (immunopeptides, casokinins, casomorphins) and neuroendocrine information transfer (casokinins). The advances in the research field of bioactive peptides are driven by a molecular understanding of biological processes, and analytical techniques are a critical component of this understanding. Different up-to-date methods, including peptide synthesis and immunochemistry, have been applied to the chemical characterization of bioactive peptides. Especially casein derived peptides have already found interesting applications, both as dietary supplements (phosphopeptides) and as pharmaceutical preparations (phosphopeptides, beta-casomorphins). The question of 'what kinds of bioactive peptides are beneficial and desirable as food constituents or as drugs' should be always carefully examined. However, the possibilities for the design of dietary products and 'natural' drugs look promising.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Immunomodulating capacity of commercial fish protein hydrolysate for diet supplementation.

Dietary proteins harbour bioactive peptides that can be released by a fermentation process. Fish proteins are a valuable and little-exploited source of potentially active biopeptides. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of a commercially available fermented fish protein concentrate (Seacure) (FPC) derived from a fermentation process, on the mucosal immune response in a murine model. BALB/c mice received the FPC or the non-fermented powder at different concentrations (0.20, 0.25 or 0.30mg/ml) for 2, 5 or 7 consecutive days. At the end of each feeding period, histological studies of the gut were carried out and the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages, the number of IgA+ cells in the small intestine lamina propria and bronchial tissue and the number of IL-4+, IL-6+, IL-10+, IFNgamma+ and TNFalpha+ cells in the small intestine lamina propria were determined. Different accumulative doses of FPC did not induce any inflammatory immune response and the normal morphology of the small intestine was not affected. Phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages was enhanced following FPC administration at 0.3mg/ml for 7 consecutive days. The number of IgA+ cells increased in the small intestine lamina propria but not in the bronchial tissue. IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 were all significantly increased in the lamina propria of the small intestine of animals that received FPC. At the same time, some pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFNgamma and TNFalpha also increased, but the intestinal homoeostasis was maintained and no tissue damage was observed. We conclude that FPC is an immunomodulating food with a demonstrated capacity to enhance non-specific host defense mechanisms.

Administration, Oral↗

Food-derived bioactive peptides--opportunities for designing future foods.

Dietary proteins are known to carry a wide range of nutritional, functional and biological properties. Nutritionally, the proteins are a source of energy and amino acids, which are essential for growth and maintenance. Functionally, the proteins contribute to the physicochemical and sensory properties of various protein-rich foods. Furthermore, many dietary proteins possess specific biological properties which make these components potential ingredients of functional or health-promoting foods. Many of these properties are attributed to physiologically active peptides encrypted in protein molecules. Particularly rich sources of such peptides are milk and egg, but they are also found in meat of various kinds as well as many plants. These peptides are inactive within the sequence of parent protein and can be released during gastrointestinal digestion or food processing. Depending on the amino acid sequence, these peptides may exert a number of different activities in vivo, affecting, e.g., the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and nervous systems in addition to nutrient utilization. There is increasing commercial interest in the production of bioactive peptides from various sources. Industrial-scale production of such peptides is, however, hampered by the lack of suitable technologies. Bioactive peptides can also be produced from milk proteins through fermentation of milk, by starters employed in the manufacture of fermented milks or cheese. In particular, antihypertensive peptides have been identified in fermented milk, whey and ripened cheese. A few of these peptides have been commercialised in the form of fermented milks. There is a need to develop technologies which retain or even enhance the activity of bioactive peptides in food systems. Also, it is essential to study the optimum utilization of such peptides during passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Egg Proteins↗

Bioactive peptides in digesta that regulate gastrointestinal function and intake.

Exorphins, a particular class of biologically active peptides that exist within a protein sequence, are released during digestion, absorbed intact, and modulate gastrointestinal motility, secretions, endocrine metabolism, and possibly intake by binding to specific opioid receptors. Casomorphins are a class of exorphin from milk protein that slows gastric motility and emptying in nonruminants. In the mature ruminant, abomasal infusion of casein, 1.25 to 5.0% (wt/vol) for 3 h at 16.7 mL/min, linearly decreased reticular contraction frequency 3.5 to 5.1%, duration 2.0 to 4.0%, and amplitude 5.8 to 15.5% from the control (P < .05). This effect was blocked by intragastric administration of the opioid antagonist naltrexone (.5 mg/kg of BW). Abomasal infusion of an acid hydrolysate of casein exerted more immediate effects on reticular motility that were amplified by administration of the opioid antagonist. Dual excitatory-inhibitory responses are characteristic of opioid regulation. Naltrexone-reversible effects on reticular motility, reticular-omasal orifice opening, and post-prandial insulin rise were also demonstrated when a ruminally undegradable protein supplement containing blood meal, fish meal, corn gluten meal, and meat and bone meal was fed. The effects of opioid peptides on digesta passage and postprandial insulin rise implicate their potential involvement with intake regulation. Saliva is another source of bioactive peptides. Abomasal infusion of saliva (1.5 L/h) linearly increased reticular contraction frequency 2.5 to 7.7% and ruminal dilution rate 33.8% from the control (P < .05). Bioactive peptides may provide new dietary methods for improving productive efficiency of livestock.

Animals↗

Bioactive milk peptides: a prospectus.

Bioactive peptides have been identified within the amino acid sequences of native milk proteins. Hydrolytic reactions, such as those catalyzed by digestive enzymes, result in their release. These peptides directly influence numerous biological processes evoking behavioral, gastrointestinal, hormonal, immunological, neurological, and nutritional responses. The specific bioreactions associated with each physiological class have been well characterized. Herein, we review the scientific literature and attempt to stimulate consideration of the continued use of bioactive peptides and their expanded development as a commercial product. Several applications have already evolved. For example, phosphopeptides derived from casein fractions are currently used as both dietary and pharmaceutical supplements. Potentially, the addition of bioactive peptides to food products could improve consumer safety as a result of their antimicrobial properties. Lastly, bioactive peptides may function as health care products, providing therapeutic value for either treatment of infection or prevention of disease.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Biologically active peptides in milk proteins.

Bioactive peptides have been identified as digestion products of several food proteins. All the bioactive sequences are hidden in an inactive state inside the polypeptide chain of the larger protein. Milk proteins are a rich source of biologically active peptides such as exorphins (casomorphins), phosphopeptides and immunopeptides. Such peptides are released during intestinal digestion of caseins and whey proteins. They may be involved in regulation of nutrient entry and influence the postprandial metabolism via stimulation of the secretion of hormones. Furthermore, they may exert a stimulating effect on the immune system. These findings offer new aspects for evaluating the nutritive value of food proteins. Moreover, bioactive peptides have already found interesting applications as dietary supplements and as pharmaceutical preparations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bioactivity of amino terminal fragments of parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone related peptide in rat kidney slices: no effect of dietary phosphate deprivation.

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy has been associated with the production of a recently cloned peptide human parathyroid hormone related protein (hPTHRP). One of the markers of this disease is an increased urinary excretion of cyclic AMP. The postreceptor mechanism of action and physiological role of hPTHRP remain obscure. To study the activity of hPTHRP 1-34 compared to rat and human parathyroid hormone (PTH) 1-34 we incubated these peptides with rat kidney slices and measured the cyclic AMP generated in the supernatant. hPTHRP 1-34 was equipotent with human PTH 1-34 but both were 5 times less active than rat PTH 1-34. Previous studies have suggested that a low dietary phosphate intake results in renal resistance to the phosphaturic action of PTH perhaps mediated by reduced adenylate cyclase activation by PTH. To determine whether, during dietary phosphate restriction, hPTHRP 1-34 has actions different from hPTH 1-34 we studied their effects following dietary phosphate deprivation. Dietary phosphate restriction had no significant effect on the cyclic AMP generating activity of any of the peptides. We conclude that hPTHRP 1-34 may be operating through similar mechanisms as human PTH 1-34 and that the previously observed effects of dietary phosphate deprivation on PTH mediated cyclic AMP generation in a broken cell preparation do not occur in intact cell preparations.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Growth, development and differentiation: a functional food science approach.

Few other aspects of food supply and metabolism are of greater biological importance than the feeding of mothers during pregnancy and lactation, and of their infants and young children. Nutritional factors during early development not only have short-term effects on growth, body composition and body functions but also exert long-term effects on health, disease and mortality risks in adulthood, as well as development of neural functions and behaviour, a phenomenon called 'metabolic programming'. The interaction of nutrients and gene expression may form the basis of many of these programming effects and needs to be investigated in more detail. The relation between availability of food ingredients and cell and tissue differentiation and its possible uses for promoting health and development requires further exploration. The course of pregnancy, childbirth and lactation as well as human milk composition and the short- and long-term outcome of the child are influenced by the intake of foods and particularly micronutrients, e.g. polyunsaturated fatty acids, Fe, Zn and I. Folic acid supplementation from before conception through the first weeks of pregnancy can markedly reduce the occurrence of severe embryonic malformations; other potential benefits of modulating nutrient supply on maternal and child health should be further evaluated. The evaluation of dietary effects on child growth requires epidemiological and field studies as well as evaluation of specific cell and tissue growth. Novel substrates, growth factors and conditionally essential nutrients (e.g. growth factors, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids) may be potentially useful as ingredients in functional foods and need to be assessed carefully. Intestinal growth, maturation, and adaptation as well as long-term function may be influenced by food ingredients such as oligosaccharides, gangliosides, high-molecular-mass glycoproteins, bile salt-activated lipase, pre- and probiotics. There are indications for some beneficial effects of functional foods on the developing immune response, for example induced by antioxidant vitamins, trace elements, fatty acids, arginine, nucleotides, and altered antigen contents in infant foods. Peak bone mass at the end of adolescence can be increased by dietary means, which is expected to be of long-term importance for the prevention of osteoporosis at older ages. Future studies should be directed to the combined effects of Ca and other constituents of growing bone, such as P, Mg and Zn, as well as vitamins D and K, and the trace elements F and B. Pregnancy and the first postnatal months are critical time periods for the growth and development of the human nervous system, processes for which adequate substrate supplies are essential. Early diet seems to have long-term effects on sensory and cognitive abilities as well as behaviour. The potential beneficial effects of a balanced supply of nutrients such as I, Fe, Zn and polyunsaturated fatty acids should be further evaluated. Possible long-term effects of early exposure to tastes and flavours on later food choice preferences may have a major impact on public health and need to be further elucidated. The use of biotechnology and recombinant techniques may offer the opportunity to include various bioactive substances in special dietary products, such as human milk proteins, peptides, growth factors, which may have beneficial physiological effects, particularly in infancy and early childhood.

Adolescent↗

Nutritional and biochemical properties of human milk: II. Lipids, micronutrients, and bioactive factors.

Human milk lipids contain preformed LCPUFA in considerable amounts, which serve as precursors for the formation of prostaglandins, prostacyclins, and other lipid mediators, as well as essential components in membrane-rich tissues (such as the brain and the retina), thus affecting functional outcomes. Besides a balanced nutrient composition and a number of conditionally essential nutrients, human milk provides different types and classes of bioactive factors, such as enzymes, hormones, and growth factors, many of which appear to have a role in supporting infantile growth and development. The bioactive agents include antimicrobial factors (e.g., secretory IgA, oligosaccharides, FA); anti-inflammatory agents; transporters (e.g., lactoferrin); and digestive enzymes (e.g., BSSL). Several nonpeptide hormones (thyroid hormones, cortisol, progesterone, pregnanediol, estrogens, and artificial contraceptive) and peptide hormones and growth factors (erythropoietin, hHG, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, epidermal growth factor insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, nerve growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha, gastrointestinal regulatory peptides and thyroid-parathyroid hormones) have been isolated and quantitated in human milk. Some of these components are also involved in the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract of the infant. In addition to the passive benefits provided by human milk, several data support the hypothesis that breastfeeding promotes the development of the infant's own immune system, which might confer long-term benefits for the newborn infant. The risk of IDDM, Crohn's disease, and atopic disease is lower in individuals who had been breastfed during infancy. Areas of major interest in human milk research include the study of human milk synthesis and the contributions of dietary composition and maternal metabolism to human milk composition, infantile utilization of human milk components, and the study of bioactive components, such as oligosaccharides, proteins and peptides, and lipids and their in vivo fate and biologic effects in the recipient infant.

Female↗