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Protein Digestion

Protein Digestion

Protein digestion begins in the stomach, where the highly acidic environment can easily disrupt protein structure by exposing the peptide bonds of polypeptide chains. After polypeptide chains are broken into individual amino acids by a series of digestive enzymes, the amino acids are transported to the liver via the bloodstream to produce energy.

Peptide Bonds

Peptide Bonds

A peptide bond covalently attaches amino acids through a dehydration reaction. One amino acid's carboxyl group and another amino acid's amino group combine, releasing a water molecule. The resulting bond is the peptide bond. The products that such linkages form are peptides. As more amino acids join this growing chain, the resulting chain is a polypeptide. Each polypeptide has a free amino group at one end. This end has the N-terminal, or the amino-terminal, and the other end has a free...

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Bioactive peptides generated in the processing of dry-cured ham.

Fidel Toldrá¹, Marta Gallego¹, Milagro Reig²

¹Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (CSIC), Paterna (Valencia), Spain.

|April 8, 2020

Summary

Dry-cured ham naturally produces bioactive peptides through proteolysis. These peptides offer potential health benefits, including antioxidant and antihypertensive effects, making dry-cured ham a valuable dietary source.

Keywords:

Bioactive peptides Enzymes Exo-peptidases Peptidases Peptides Proteolysis Proteomics

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Area of Science:

Food Science
Biochemistry
Nutritional Science

Background:

Dry-cured ham production involves natural proteolysis by muscle peptidases.
This process generates peptides and free amino acids from major muscle proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the generation of bioactive peptides in dry-cured ham from Spain, Italy, and China.
To highlight the health benefits associated with these naturally occurring peptides.

Main Methods:

Review of scientific literature on dry-cured ham production and peptide generation.
Analysis of the enzymatic hydrolysis of muscle proteins by endogenous peptidases.

Main Results:

Extensive hydrolysis of muscle proteins yields numerous peptides and free amino acids.
Identified bioactive peptides exhibit angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant, and di-peptidylpeptidase IV inhibitory activities.
In vivo studies suggest antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Conclusions:

Dry-cured ham is a rich natural source of bioactive peptides.
These peptides possess significant potential for promoting human health.