Bioprocessing of food industry surplus to obtain novel food ingredients enriched in bioactive peptides

Abstract

• Food by-products were converted into peptide-rich functional ingredients. • Enzymatic hydrolysis was most effective for brewers’ spent grain, bread, and okara. • Peptides with antioxidant and antihypertensive activities were generated. • Short, proline-rich peptides, stable to heat and digestion, were identified. • A prototype granola with treated residues retained bioactivity and sensory appeal. The food processing industries are responsible for the generation of substantial quantities of protein-rich waste and by-products posing significant environmental and economic challenges. However, their valorization through enzymatic hydrolysis, to produce biologically active peptides, offers a sustainable, circular approach with potential applications in novel functional foods. In this study, a