Iron-chelating activity of chickpea protein hydrolysate peptides

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Iron deficiency is a global health concern.
• Dietary iron bioavailability is often limited.
• Chickpea proteins are a potential source of bioactive peptides.

Purpose of the Study:

• To purify and characterize iron-chelating peptides from chickpea protein hydrolysates.
• To investigate the relationship between peptide composition and iron-chelating activity.
• To assess the potential of these peptides in improving iron absorption.

Main Methods:

• Chickpea protein hydrolysis using pepsin and pancreatin.
• Purification of peptides via affinity and gel filtration chromatography.
• Analysis of iron-chelating activity and histidine content.

Main Results:

• Purified peptide fractions exhibited higher iron-chelating activity than the original hydrolysate.
• A positive correlation was found between histidine content and iron-chelating activity.
• Fractions with histidine content exceeding 20% demonstrated the highest chelating efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Iron-chelating peptides are effectively generated from chickpea protein hydrolysis.
• These peptides hold potential for enhancing iron solubility, bioavailability, and absorption.
• Histidine-rich peptides are key contributors to the observed iron-chelating properties.