Meat proteome as source of functional biopeptides

Food-derived compounds have been linked with decreased risk of developing chronic health conditions. The interest in the development of functional biopeptides from food proteins can be attributed to increasing consumer demand for safe health-promoting agents. The meat proteome, although not as widely investigated as dairy, fish or plant proteins, contains peptide sequences with a variety of beneficial health effects particularly antihypertensive property as well as other health-promoting functions such as antioxidant, antithrombotic, anticancer, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities. Despite the prospects, current literature indicates dearth of extensive information on validation of the physiological functions of meat-derived biopeptides in animal models and human subjects. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis has indicated the possibility of generating a myriad of biopeptides during endogenous metabolism of dietary meat proteins, and through the use of food-grade exogenous proteases. Consequently, there is a strong need to explore the meat proteome as precursor of functional biopeptides for the development of commercial functional foods and nutraceuticals.