Health Applications of Soy Protein Hydrolysates

Soybean (Glycine max) Protein Hydrolysates as Sources of Peptide Bitter-Tasting Indicators: An Analysis Based on Hybrid and Fragmentomic Approaches

“…Moreover, it is the least expensive source of protein, which may be helpful in solving feeding and agronomical problems [44]. However, hydrolysis of proteins, also these from soybean, contributes to the production of peptides that taste bitter and are not accepted by Western consumers, even if they offer a health-beneficial value [45,46]. Our initial bioinformatic predictions also confirmed the potential of soybean proteins as the richest sources of bitter-tasting sequences when comparing them to the other sequences of proteins derived from grains, oil, and leguminous plants (21 sequences in total; data not shown).…”

“…The comparison excluded pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin as digestive tract enzymes. They naturally digest proteins when ingested [46].…”

“…In the case of the in silico results obtained, the highest number of parent peptides likely to be bitter due to the presence of bitter-tasting motifs was produced from αand β-chains of soybean β-conglycinins. According to literature reports, glycinin and β-conglycinin represent about 65-85 % of the total soybean proteins, and they are known as good reservoirs of bioactive peptides [46].…”

“…The cleavage of peptide bonds is one of the descriptors characterizing the nature of the enzyme [59]. However, the effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis depends also on the temperature, the pH, the enzyme-to-substrate ratio [46], and the types of the molecules affecting the inhibition of the enzyme [60], which are difficult parameters to be included as the "elements" of programs serving for theoretical proteolysis. Moreover, such predictive hydrolysis is relatively simple, especially when the protein is not chemically modified.…”

“…They are not considered by programs for theoretical hydrolysis. In turn, Ashaolu [46] highlighted that proteolysis of soybean carried out in experimental conditions enabled the reduction of waste, establishing the mild conditions of reaction, avoiding unwanted reactions; however, the obstacle is the cost of enzymes, as well as the recovery and/or removal of bitter taste [46].…”