Saubenova, M.; Oleinikova, Y.; Rapoport, A.; Maksimovich, S.; Yermekbay, Z.; Khamedova, E. Bioactive Peptides Derived from Whey Proteins for Health and Functional Beverages. Fermentation2024, 10, 359.
Saubenova, M.; Oleinikova, Y.; Rapoport, A.; Maksimovich, S.; Yermekbay, Z.; Khamedova, E. Bioactive Peptides Derived from Whey Proteins for Health and Functional Beverages. Fermentation 2024, 10, 359.
Saubenova, M.; Oleinikova, Y.; Rapoport, A.; Maksimovich, S.; Yermekbay, Z.; Khamedova, E. Bioactive Peptides Derived from Whey Proteins for Health and Functional Beverages. Fermentation2024, 10, 359.
Saubenova, M.; Oleinikova, Y.; Rapoport, A.; Maksimovich, S.; Yermekbay, Z.; Khamedova, E. Bioactive Peptides Derived from Whey Proteins for Health and Functional Beverages. Fermentation 2024, 10, 359.
Abstract
Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.
Biology and Life Sciences, Food Science and Technology
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