Characterisation and cytomodulatory properties of peptides from Mozzarella di Bufala Campana cheese whey

Bioactive peptides are present in a latent state, encrypted within the amino acid sequence of milk proteins, requiring enzymatic proteolysis for their release. They can be produced by gastrointestinal digestion or food processing, thus they can be present in fermented milks, cheese and also in the by-products of dairy industry such as waste whey. The spectrum of biological activity covered by milk-derived peptides is extremely wide, including antibacterial, immunostimulating, antihypertensive, antithrombotic and opioid actions. However, the characterisation of milk-derived peptides with classical analytical methodologies is severely challenged by the complexity of the milk protein fraction and by the wide dynamic range of relative peptide abundance in both dairy products and by-products. Here we report the characterisation of the peptide fraction released in the whey during the different production stages of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana cheese. The peptide extracts were separated by RP HPLC and analysed by MS in order to identify the peptides produced and to trace the pathway of formation of potential bioactive peptides. The antioxidant properties and the modulatory effect on the cell cycle exerted by the peptide extracts were also studied in CaCo2 cell line. We found that a significant antiproliferative effect on CaCo2 was exerted by Mozzarella di Bufala waste whey peptides.