Effects of controlled pepsin hydrolysis on antioxidant potential and fractional changes of chickpea proteins

This study investigated the effects of controlled pepsin hydrolysis on antioxidant potential and fractional changes of chickpea protein extracts (CPE). The enzyme hydrolysis increased soluble protein content (1.2 to 2-fold) and free radical scavenging activity (1.9 to 3-fold) of hydrolyzed chickpea protein extract (HCPE), but almost unaffected its antioxidant potential in oil-in-water emulsion system and reduced its iron chelating capacity (1.3-fold) and functional properties. The chromatographic fractions of CPE are mainly acidic, while those of HCPE are mainly basic and neutral. The majority of chickpea proteins had pI between 4.5 and 5.5, and molecular weight (MW) between 15 and 40 kDa, while MW of their pepsin hydrolysis products ranged between 6.5 and 14.2 kDa. The main antioxidant proteins in CPE and HCPE fractionated by ultrafiltration had MW greater than 30 kDa and between 2 and 10 kDa, respectively. The chickpea proteins and hydrolysates showed different potentials as functional food ingredients.