Production and characterisation of duck albumen hydrolysate using enzymatic process

Abstract

SummaryInfluences of different ultrasound treatments combined with heat pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis, emulsifying properties and antioxidant activities of hydrolysates from duck egg albumen were studied. Heat pretreatment at 95 °C for 30 min inhibited both serine and cysteine protease inhibitors effectively. Ultrasonication of heated duck albumen at 60% amplitude for 10 min yielded the highest surface hydrophobicity. Coincidentally, aforementioned pretreatment rendered the hydrolysate with highest degree of hydrolysis (DH) than other pretreatments when Alcalase was used. The resulting hydrolysate showed the highest antioxidant activities including DPPH radical and ABTS radical cation scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power as well as emulsifying properties when hydrolysis time of 90 min was used. The hydrolysate possessed the peptides with molecular weight of 219–255 Da with the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity. Thus, heat pretreatment, followed by ultrasonication of duck albumen under appropriate condition could increase DH, antioxidant activities and emulsifying properties of duck albumen hydrolysate.