Identification and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Oligopeptides from Mixed-Distillate Fermented Baijiu Grains...

This study aimed to explore the potential antioxidant activity and mechanism of oligopeptides from sauce-aroma Baijiu. The oligopeptides of Val-Leu-Pro-Phe (VLPF), Pro-Leu-Phe (PLF), Val-Gly-Phe-Cys (VGFC), Leu-Tyr-Pro (LYP), Leu-Pro-Phe (LPF), and Phe-Thr-Phe (FTF) were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) from the mixed-distillate of Baijiu fermented grains and soy sauce residue (MDFS). The antioxidant mechanism of these oligopeptides on scavenging DPPH•, ABTS•⁺, and hydroxide radicals was investigated, respectively. Among them, VGFC had the strongest potential antioxidant activity, which was responsible for its hydrogen bonds with these radicals with high affinity. The binding energies between VGFC and these radicals were -1.26 kcal/mol, -1.33 kcal/mol, and -1.93 kcal/mol, respectively. Additionally, free radicals prefer to bind the oligopeptide composed of hydrophobic amino acid residues such as Leu, Val, Phe, and Pro, thus being scavenged for exerting antioxidant activity. It provided a new idea for the development and utilization of bioactive oligopeptides in sauce-aroma Baijiu.