Food bioactive peptides : recent trends in research, production, functionality, and applications

![CDATA[In the recent past, increasing attention is being focussed on physiologically active peptides from a range of plant and food sources. Proteins and peptides from plata and foods have been observed to be physiologically active (bioactive) either directly or indirectly after their hydrolysis in vivo or in vitro (eg. cheese ripening & food fermentation). For example, milk proteins exert a wide range of nutritional, functional and biological activities. Many milk proteins possess specific biological properties that make these components potential ingredients of health-promoting foods. Food-derived bioactive peptides refer to different plant or animal origins that may have regulatory functions in the human system beyond normal and adequate nutrition. This chapter includes: the introduction of bioactive peptides, structure and physiochemical properties of bioactive peptides including opioid, ACE-inhibitory, mineral-binding, anti-microbial, immunomodulatory, cytomodulatory, anti-thrombotic, antioxidant, and hypocholesterolemic peptides. This chapter also includes the various sources of enzymes needed to produce bioactive peptides, and their applications. The production of bioactive peptides using enzyme hydrolysis, microbial fermentation and the fractionation and enrichment of bioactive peptides are discussed. Functionality of bioactive peptides and their physiological, biochemical and immunological effects are also discussed. The food and nutraceutical applications and potential directions of new food and therapeutic products are discussed in this chapter. Finally, a future outlook on the development and utilization of bioactive peptides and their novel applications is discussed.]]