Explore the benefits of rice peptides: enhanced solubility, low viscosity, rich amino acids, and potent antioxidative properties for functional foods.

Keywords: rice dregs, rice peptide, enzymolysis , physicochemical property, antioxidant activity

Introduction

Rice peptides, obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of rice dregs using alkaline and neutral proteases, are mixtures of low molecular peptides and free amino acids. These peptides offer several advantages over rice proteins and amino acids, including improved solubility, low viscosity, stability to acid and heat, and various physiological functions such as protein gelation inhibition, easy absorption, antioxidative properties, and blood pressure reduction. They hold potential applications in infant nutrition, instant beverages, convenience foods, seasonings, and various functional foods.

Materials and Methods

Materials and Equipment

The study used rice peptide powder, various analytical grade reagents like sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride, copper sulfate, and more, along with specific bacterial peptides, oxidized and reduced glutathione, and deoxyribose among others. Equipment used included an automatic liquid chromatography analyzer, a pH meter, a spectrophotometer, and a digital viscometer.

Experimental Techniques

The solubility, viscosity, purification, and molecular weight of rice peptides were determined using various methods. Solubility was assessed across a range of pH values and conditions, viscosity measurements were taken at different concentrations, and size-exclusion chromatography was used for purification and molecular weight determination. Amino acid composition was analyzed using an automatic amino acid analyzer under specific chromatographic conditions.

Results and Discussion

Solubility and Viscosity

Rice peptides showed significantly improved solubility across a range of pH values compared to the raw protein material, highlighting the effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis in enhancing protein solubility. Viscosity measurements indicated that rice peptide solutions maintain low viscosity even at higher concentrations, which is beneficial for their use in food applications.

Purification and Molecular Weight Determination

The study utilized Sephadex G-25 chromatography for the purification of rice peptides, resulting in three distinct fractions with molecular weights of 1493 Da, 631 Da, and 284 Da, suggesting that rice peptides are primarily composed of peptides within the 300 Da to 1500 Da range.

Amino Acid Analysis

The analysis revealed a rich amino acid profile in rice peptides, including 18 different amino acids, highlighting their potential high nutritional value. The presence of essential amino acids was noted, though tryptophan was destroyed during acid hydrolysis and not detected.

Antioxidative Activity

Rice peptides exhibited significant antioxidative properties, with the ability to scavenge hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals effectively. This antioxidative capacity increased with concentration, underscoring the potential of rice peptides in functional foods aimed at combating oxidative stress.

Conclusion and Future Prospects

The study concluded that rice peptides derived from rice dregs through enzymatic hydrolysis possess improved solubility, low viscosity, and a rich amino acid profile, along with notable antioxidative properties. These characteristics make them suitable for various applications in the food industry, including as ingredients in functional foods. The study also highlights the innovative approach of using rice dregs as a resource for extracting high-quality peptides and suggests further research to explore their full potential and applications in different food products.

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Original research by Xiong Weijie, Wu Weiguo(Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128)

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