Application of Flavor Protease in the Production of Wheat Protein Peptides

Wheat protein powder, also known as gluten powder or active gluten powder, is a high-protein product produced from wheat as raw material. The protein content is about 80%, and it is light yellow. It contains a relatively complete range of amino acids and has different functionality from rice protein and corn protein. It is a natural plant protein source with high nutritional value, good quality and low price. The proteins in wheat protein powder mainly include glutenin, gliadin, albumin and globulin, among which glutenin and gliadin have a higher content, which can reach about 90%.
Wheat protein peptide is a multifunctional compound derived from wheat protein. It is a general term for different peptides from dipeptides to complex linear and ring structures composed of 20 natural amino acids in protein in different compositions and arrangements. The antioxidant ingredients contained in wheat protein peptide can effectively remove free radicals produced in the body and protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. The ability to remove free radicals is the main indicator of the antioxidant function of wheat protein peptide in vivo or in vitro.
Enzymatic hydrolysis is a common hydrolysis method. The prepared active peptides are superior to raw protein in terms of functional properties and nutritional characteristics, and can meet the processing needs of actual industrial production. The enzymatic hydrolysis effect of protease hydrolysis of wheat protein powder is good, and the yield of small peptides in the hydrolysis product can exceed 80%; but it is very easy to have bitterness; bitterness is difficult for consumers to accept; the step-by-step enzymatic hydrolysis method can not only improve the hydrolysis degree of the enzymatic hydrolysis product, but also reduce its bitterness value, which is an ideal method for debittering. ... Flavor proteases have a strong end-cutting effect, which can cut off the hydrophobic amino acids at the head and end of the polypeptide chain, thereby further hydrolyzing the produced bitter peptides, decomposing the bitter peptides into free amino acids and small molecule peptides with low bitterness values, causing the bitterness value of the enzymatic hydrolysis products to gradually decrease with the extension of enzymatic hydrolysis time. Therefore, by using the different properties of different protease cleavage sites and acting on different protein raw materials, we can better utilize protease hydrolysis or combined hydrolysis, or step-by-step hydrolysis, give full play to the role of protein, and improve protein utilization.