Separation and Identification of Highly Efficient Antioxidant Peptides from Eggshell Membrane

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Eggshell membrane (ESM) is a rich source of proteins and peptides.
• Exploring the antioxidant properties of ESM enzymatic hydrolysates (EHs) can unlock novel applications.
• Optimizing hydrolysis conditions is key to maximizing the bioactivity of ESM-EH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce and characterize antioxidant enzymatic hydrolysates from eggshell membrane.
• To investigate the correlation between the degree of hydrolysis and antioxidant activity.
• To isolate and identify potent antioxidant peptides from ESM-EH for potential applications.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic hydrolysis of ESM using alkaline protease and Na2SO3.
• Assessing antioxidant activities including reducing power, total antioxidant activity (TAA), and Fe2+-chelating ability.
• Utilizing MALDI-TOF/MS, cation exchange chromatography, and LC-MS/MS for peptide analysis and isolation.

Main Results:

• Degree of hydrolysis positively correlated with reducing power and TAA, and negatively with Fe2+-chelating ability.
• Fragment 3 (F3), containing 28 polypeptides, exhibited superior ABTS radical scavenging, TBARS inhibition, and TAA.
• Five specific peptides (ESYHLPR, NVIDPPIYAR, MFAEWQPR, LLFAMTKPK, MLKMLPFK) from F3 demonstrated high antioxidant potential, with ESYHLPR and MFAEWQPR being the most effective.

Conclusions:

• ESM enzymatic hydrolysates possess significant antioxidant properties.
• Specific isolated peptides from ESM-EH show promise as natural antioxidant agents.
• These findings support the use of ESM-derived peptides in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.