Algae-Derived Peptides as Functional Food Ingredients: Bioactivities, Processing Challenges, and Computational Design
Keying Su1,2, Juanjuan Ma1, Qian Li1,2
1College of Engineering, Guangzhou College of Technology and Business, Guangzhou 510850, China.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 14, 2026
Summary
Algae proteins and peptides offer sustainable, bioactive compounds for food, pharma, and cosmetics. Computational tools can accelerate discovery, but processing challenges remain for widespread use.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Algae are increasingly recognized as sustainable sources of proteins and peptides.
- These biomolecules possess valuable nutritional and functional properties.
- Their potential applications span various industries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on algae-derived proteins and peptides.
- To explore their characteristics and applications.
- To highlight the role of computational tools in their research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing existing research.
- Analysis of nutritional and functional properties of algae proteins/peptides.
- Exploration of computational strategies for peptide discovery.
Main Results:
- Algae yield diverse proteins and bioactive peptides with beneficial amino acid profiles.
- Demonstrated activities include antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and skin-protective effects.
- Applications are noted in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Conclusions:
- Algae-derived proteins and peptides show significant potential as multifunctional ingredients.
- Challenges in production, stability, and bioavailability need addressing for large-scale use.
- Integrating computational tools with advanced processing is crucial for future applications.
Keywords:
algae-derived peptidesapplicationsbioactive functionalitiescomputational technologystructure–activity relationshipssustainable resources
