Impact of processing on bioactive proteins and peptides

Proteins are fundamental and integral food components, both nutritionally a nd functionally. Nutritionally, they are a source of energy and amino acids , which are essential for growth and maintenance. Functionally, they affect the physicochemical and sensory properties of various proteinaceous foods. In addition, many dietary proteins possess specific biological properties which make these components potential ingredients of functional or health-p romoting foods. These proteins may also affect the technological functional ity of the intended end-products. On the other hand, it is essential to app ly or develop technologies which retain or even enhance the activity of bio active components in food systems. This review article focuses on the effec ts of processing on the properties of bioactive proteins derived from vario us sources. A special emphasis is given to milk proteins as their physiolog ical and technological functionality has been studied extensively. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.