Protein hydrolysates against diabetes

Protein concentrates and hydrolysates from industrial by-products are valuable sources of micro- and macromolecules of both nutritional and pharmaceutical interest. Peptides (short chains of amino acids) recovered from by-products are one of the valuable molecules with proven positive health effect in management of diabetes and obesity. However, the complexity of protein hydrolysates poses a significant challenge in detection and discovery of the bioactive peptides.

Goal and technology

The current project aims at developing a technology that enables facilitated discovery of health promoting peptides from protein-rich industrial byproducts.

The technology will be based on novel combination of (i) Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy-based rapid screening and (ii) advanced biochemical detection technologies based on ligand fishing and high-resolution bioassays.

International collaboration

This technology will be used to screen protein hydrolysates from poultry and dairy processing byproducts for potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesity peptides.

Led by Nofima (Norway) as the host, the project will also involve two international partners from University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and National Institute of Health (USA). A collaboration with Tine SA (Norway) and Norillia (Norway) will provide access to a wide range of protein-rich by-products from dairy and poultry processing, respectively.

Both the need to develop bioactive food ingredients for management of diabetes and the urge for creating value for food processing by-products makes the proposed research an intriguing and relevant task.