Abstract
The conchocelis life cycle stage of P. dioica represents an unexplored source of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to generate and characterise, for the first time, hydrolysates of conchocelis using a specific combination of proteases (Prolyve® and Flavourzyme®). Hydrolysate molecular mass distribution and free amino acid contents were assessed, and the antioxidant activity was determined using a range of in vitro assays. The protein content and the total amino acid profiles of conchocelis were also studied. Conchocelis contained ~25% of protein (dry weight basis) and had a complete profile of essential amino acids. Direct sequential enzymatic treatment modified the profile of the generated compounds, increasing the amount of low molecular weight peptides (<1 kDa). There was a significant improvement in the antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates compared with the control (up to 2.5-fold), indicating their potential as a novel source of antioxidant ingredients.
Highlights
There is an increasing interest in natural antioxidants as an alternative to synthetic compounds, due to safety concerns and a worldwide trend of using natural food additives [1,2]
The results showed that sequential hydrolysis using Prolyve and Flavourzyme converted approximately 20% of the total amino acids into free amino acid residues (Table 1)
While sequential hydrolysis promoted the release of Tyr, Phe and Trp, the results indicate that ~76% of these residues were retained within the peptides generated by the enzymatic treatment
Summary
There is an increasing interest in natural antioxidants as an alternative to synthetic compounds, due to safety concerns and a worldwide trend of using natural food additives [1,2]. Natural antioxidants can shield the human body from free radicals or other reactive oxygen species and prevent or detain the development of many chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes or atherosclerosis [2,3]. They can be used in the food industry to inhibit, for example, lipid peroxidation, which is one of the main causes of food oxidation [3]. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules that can be formed either by natural cell metabolism (endogenously) or by the action of different environmental factors, such as pollutants, ionising radiation and ultraviolet light (exogenously). When produced in excess, they can target membrane lipids, proteins, DNA and other bioactive macromolecules [4]
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