Food protein-derived chelating peptides: Biofunctional ingredients for dietary mineral bioavailability enhancement

Minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron and copper are important elements for human health. Deficiencies of dietary minerals can lead to numerous diseases. Mineral chelating peptides have shown potential application in the management of mineral deficiencies. An increasing number of chelating peptides with the ability to facilitate and enhance the bioavailability of minerals are being discovered and identified. This review outlines the current food protein sources, analytical methods and the purification schemes of mineral chelating peptides, and discusses their structure-activity relationship and the bioavailability. The potential of mineral chelating peptides as functional food ingredients is also described.