Bitterness of fish protein hydrolysate and its debittering prospects

Fish processing by-products often generated as discard can enzymatically be processed into a product known as fish protein hydrolysates (FPH). FPH is a good source of amino acid and peptides with bioactivities. FPH can be added to foods to improve nutritive values and bioactivities. However, bitterness in FPH, associated with hydrophobicity, degree of hydrolysis, molecular weight, proline residues, type of enzymes, and amino acid sequences has limited its uses in foods. Thus, FPH is used in foods at low levels. Numerous procedures such as extraction with alcohol, activated carbon treatment, Maillard reaction, cyclodextrin, chromatographic separation, and enzymatic hydrolysis with exopeptidase and plastein reaction have been explored to remove the bitterness of FPH. These methods can lower bitterness and improve its taste. However, changes in structure and loss of some peptides may occur. FPH with less or no bitterness can therefore be used at higher levels to alleviate nutrition deficiencies in foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) is a nutritive ingredient, which can be produced from fish processing by-products. However, bitterness in FPH has limited its potential use as a nutritive ingredient. As a result, it is incorporated into foods at low levels. Nevertheless, application of several reported debittering processes could assist to solve the problem of bitterness in FPH. The debittering can improve sensory property of FPH, thus widening its utilization.