Bioactive supramolecular inclusion complexes of cyclodextrins with whey protein peptides

Abstract

A comprehensive biotechnological approach is proposed to enhance the bioactivity and improve the organoleptic properties of partially hydrolyzed lactoproteins. The developed technological process includes the cleavage of whey proteins by an alkaline bacterial protease (Alcalase) and membrane fractionation with a molecular weight cut off of 10 kDa, resulting in low-molecular-weight peptide fractions with reduced residual antigenicity, along with a 3.0 and 5.3 fold increase in antioxidant activity according to ORAC and ABTS assays, respectively. This study demonstrates that complex formation of β and γ cyclodextrins with peptides further increases the radical-scavenging activity of the hydrolysates by 1.8–1.9 times (ORAC assay), maintains or enhances the antimutagenic and antimicrobial effects of the peptides, and significantly reduces their bitterness intensity. These findings confirm the promise of using β and γ cyclodextrin inclusion complexes with lactoprotein hydrolysates as functional ingredients for specialized food products.