Peptides from General By-Products: Unveiling Their Potential Biological Activities in Human Health

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Food Science
• Exploration of bioactive peptides from sustainable sources.

Background:

• Peptides, derived from proteins, possess diverse biological activities like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Traditionally sourced from food products, peptides can also be obtained from underutilized food processing by-products.
• These by-products offer a sustainable approach to peptide extraction, aligning with circular economy principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in isolating peptides from various food industry residues and by-products.
• To summarize methods for peptide isolation, purification, identification, and characterization of their biological activities.
• To discuss the application fields and challenges of utilizing these peptides in biomedicine and the food industry.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on peptide isolation from plant, animal, and sea-derived by-products.
• Analysis of conventional and alternative technologies for peptide extraction and purification.
• Examination of methods for peptide identification and assessment of their biological functions.

Main Results:

• Identification of diverse bioactive peptides from underutilized sources like food processing residues.
• Demonstration of peptides' functional properties, including antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities.
• Highlighting the potential of these peptides for functional applications in food and medicine.

Conclusions:

• Extracting peptides from food by-products is a sustainable strategy for resource maximization.
• These peptides exhibit significant biological activities, offering promising applications in biomedicine and the food industry.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges in large-scale application and ensure efficacy.