Obtainment and Characterization of Bioactive Peptides with Antihypertensive Activity from Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Protein Hydrolysates

Nowadays, food science has a global challenge in terms of nutrition goals, not only to face malnutrition problems by promoting healthy eating but also to focus nutrition on health improvement and to lower disease risks. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is an oilseed that has the properties and characteristics to be considered as functional or nutraceutical food. The storage proteins of this seed are vast bioactive peptide deposits, most of them correspond to the globulin-like proteins (arachin and conarachin I and II), approximately 75 to 85% of the total protein content. The lysine/arginine relation in these proteins is recognized for its antihypertensive and antiatherogenic effects. The peptides released by a hydrolysis reaction (pepsin/pancreatin) show an inhibitory effect on the angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE). Based on the previous reasons, and depending on the amino acid sequence, protein hydrolysates can give origin to bioactive peptides that can be used in the treatment of some diseases. These sequences can be figured out by "in silico" tools, which can predict the type and sequence of the amino acids existing in the peanut protein and their possible antihypertensive potential. Hence, the use of bioactive peptides is an interesting alternative as functional or nutraceutical food.