A novel iron supplementation strategy based on chelation reactions: preparation, characterization, and application of...

Iron is an essential trace element for maintaining normal physiological functions in living organisms. This study developed a novel iron supplementation strategy based on chelation reactions. Egg white peptides (EWPs) prepared by optimizing alkaline protease hydrolysis conditions (55 °C, 6 h, pH 10, etc.) possess abundant chelation sites, with relatively high levels of aspartic acid (10.53%) and glutamic acid (15.57%). Egg white peptides‑iron chelates (EWPs-Fe) were prepared via chelation reactions. The physical and chemical properties were characterized using methods such as FTIR. Finally, the application potential of the complexes was evaluated. The results indicate that EWPs-Fe primarily form stable chelates through coordinating groups such as carboxyl and amino groups. Compared to free peptides, EWPs-Fe (3:1) not only exhibits a smaller particle size and extremely low cytotoxicity-with a hemolysis rate below 5%-but also demonstrates significantly enhanced antioxidant activity. Findings indicate that EWPs-Fe combines excellent bioavailability with safety, offering a novel approach for iron supplement development.