Improving antioxidant activities of whey protein hydrolysates obtained by thermal preheat treatment of pepsin, trypsin, alcalase and flavourzyme

Abstract

SummaryAntioxidant activity of whey protein concentrate (WPC) hydrolysates was evaluated. Hydrolysates were obtained by pepsin, trypsin, alcalase and flavourzyme enzymatic reaction and preheat treatment of 95 °C for 5 or 10 min. The degree of hydrolysis (DH) was determined by 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid method, and antioxidant properties were determined by three spectrophotometric methods: ferricyanide method, ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay and diphenyl‐picryl hydrazinyl radical‐scavenging activity. For all the enzymes, briefly preheat treatment (95 °C/5 min) increased DH of WPC. Alcalase hydrolysates showed the highest antioxidant activity by three methods. The changes in antioxidant activity was coincidental with the changes in DH (R2 = 0.988). Hydrolysates analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography indicated that the α‐La was hydrolysed completely by pepsin, trypsin and alcalase and was resistant to flavourzyme to some extent; β‐lactoglobulin was only completely hydrolysed by trypsin and alcalase. Results indicated that antioxidant activity of hydrolysates was greatly related to the exposure of amino acid residues.