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Updated: May 25, 2026
A Generalized Method for Determining Free Soluble Phenolic Acid Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Cereals and Legumes
Published on: June 10, 2022
Lipophilic short peptides inhibit sunflower seed oil oxidation: Structural-activity relationship and antioxidant
Xuejing Liu1, Wanxing Li1, Zhaojun Zheng1
1State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, School of Food Science and Technology, National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, National Engineering Research Center of Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
This study explored lipophilic short peptides (92 species) as natural antioxidants to enhance sunflower seed oil (SSO) stability. Correlation analysis revealed that the number of amino acids was negatively correlated with antioxidant efficiency (p < 0.01). Peptides achieving high inhibition of primary oxidation products (POPs-I > 28%) were mainly distributed within a narrow hydrophobicity range (0.46-0.69), and effective against secondary oxidation products (SOPs-I) had a broad and high hydrophobicity range (0.48-0.84). These findings indicated shorter peptide chains with optimized hydrophobicity provided a robust physical basis for high antioxidant efficiency in SSO. 3D-QSAR models were constructed using 36 tripeptides and 28 tetrapeptides, showing satisfactory consistency, predictability, and applicability. According to obtained structure-activity relationships, several novel peptides were synthesized. For over 85% of novel peptides, observed efficiency matched predicted values. Theoretical calculations and surface tension indicated Tyr residue as primary hydrogen donors, facilitating radical scavenging, while other residues provided auxiliary chemical and structural support.
