Porcine Blood: An Eco-Efficient Source of Multifunctional Protein Hydrolysates

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Protein Chemistry

Background:

• Slaughterhouse by-products like porcine blood are abundant protein sources.
• Valorization of porcine blood proteins can lead to sustainable, high-value ingredients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To hydrolyze porcine whole blood (WB) and red cell fraction (CF) using alcalase.
• To characterize the bioactive and techno-functional properties of the resulting hydrolysates (WBH and CFH).
• To assess the stability of these properties after simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic hydrolysis of WB and CF with alcalase.
• Optimization of enzyme-to-substrate ratio and incubation time for maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH).
• Assays for antioxidant activity (ABTS, ORAC), ACE inhibitory activity, and techno-functional properties (emulsification, oil absorption).

Main Results:

• WBH achieved a higher DH (59.5%) than CFH (30.8%) under optimized conditions.
• CFH exhibited superior ABTS radical scavenging and ACE inhibitory activities.
• Both hydrolysates demonstrated moderate emulsifying capacity, with CFH showing higher oil absorption.

Conclusions:

• Porcine blood hydrolysates possess significant bioactive properties, including antioxidant and ACE inhibitory effects.
• Hydrolysates exhibit functional properties suitable for food applications.
• The stability of bioactive properties after digestion supports their potential as multifunctional food ingredients.