Despite extensive studies on BAPs, gaps remain in understanding their stability, bioavailability and large-scale industrial applications. This review critically examines these challenges and proposes future research directions. This study aims to discuss on various aspects of muscle food-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) and their potential health benefits.
A nonsystematic literature review was carried out using PubMed and Google Scholar searches with potential key words such as BAPs, muscle food, anti-oxidant, antimicrobial and nutraceuticals.
Muscle food-derived sources, such as meat, fish and their byproducts have gained increased attention due to the multifunctional BAPs encrypted in them. These peptides exert a positive impact on human health and wellbeing due to their physiological functions beyond their nutritional value. The BAPs usually contain 3–20 amino acid residues, released from the native biological proteins by enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and chemical hydrolysis during food processing or gastrointestinal digestion. They exhibit their physiological functions as anti-obesity, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immune-modulatory, satiety-regulating agents and opioid peptides, thereby conferring substantial health benefits.
Owing to their multifaceted health benefits, these muscle-food derived BAPs are evolving as promising candidates for nutraceuticals and functional food ingredients. Understanding the generation and functionality of muscle food-based BAPs will pave way for the development of different innovative dietary interventions.
