Bioactive Peptides from Protein-Rich Waste

Waste is produced by agro-industries from plant products and animal products in large quantities. This waste, although an economically viable source of nutrients, is usually devalued and used in agriculture or animal feed. Most of this raw material contains many compounds of economic interest, such as proteins. Proteins can be transformed into peptides through chemical, enzymatic, or microbiological processes. The hydrolysate-protein or peptides that are generated in these processes have high antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial activities, among others. In addition, this hydrolysate-protein can also contribute to the technological characteristics of food products as they can improve solubility, emulsification capacity, and gel formation, among others. Thus, the objective of this chapter was to elucidate the methods of peptide production, as well as their technological and biological properties.