Abstract
Iron, zinc, and calcium are essential micronutrients that play vital biological roles to maintain human health. Thus, their deficiencies are a public health concern worldwide. Mitigation of these deficiencies involves micronutrient fortification of staple foods, a strategy that can alter the physical and sensory properties of foods. Peptide–mineral complexes have been identified as promising alternatives for mineral-fortified functional foods or mineral supplements. This review outlines some of the methods used in the determination of the mineral chelating activities of food protein-derived peptides and the approaches for the preparation, purification and identification of mineral-binding peptides. The structure–activity relationship of mineral-binding peptides and the potential use of peptide–mineral complexes as functional food ingredients to mitigate micronutrient deficiency are discussed in relation to their chemical interactions, solubility, gastrointestinal digestion, absorption, and bioavailability. Finally, insights on the current challenges and future research directions in this area are provided.
Highlights
Minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium are inorganic substances, some of which play vital biological roles and are essential nutrients for maintaining human health [1,2]
Compared to the published works, this review highlights the potential of using peptide–mineral complexes as functional food ingredients towards the mitigation of micronutrient deficiency, with focus on their solubility, gastrointestinal digestion, absorption and bioavailability
Peptide–mineral complexes are a promising strategy towards the enhancement of mineral absorption and the reduction of micronutrient deficiency through the development of the complexes as mineral supplements or functional foods
Summary
Zinc, and calcium are inorganic substances, some of which play vital biological roles and are essential nutrients for maintaining human health [1,2]. Due to the prohibitive cost of amino acids, food protein-derived peptides commonly released in vivo or in vitro by enzymatic proteolysis are promising ligands for complexation with divalent metals towards improving mineral bioavailability and mitigating micronutrient deficiency [5,20]. The potential of food-derived peptides as transition metal ligands to enhance iron or calcium absorption was extensively discussed [2]. Another excellent review had a special emphasis on the role of peptide–metal complexes in decreasing the pro-oxidant effect of minerals [5]. Compared to the published works, this review highlights the potential of using peptide–mineral complexes as functional food ingredients towards the mitigation of micronutrient deficiency, with focus on their solubility, gastrointestinal digestion, absorption and bioavailability. This study discusses the methods for the determination of the mineral chelating activities of peptides, the approaches for the preparation, purification and identification of mineral-binding peptides from food proteins, and the structure–activity relationship of the peptides
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