Assessment of the biological activity of fish muscle protein hydrolysates using in vitro model systems.

The generation of biologically active fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) is a useful technique to produce value-added products with potential application in the functional food and nutraceutical industries. Fish muscle is an attractive substrate for the production of protein hydrolysates due to its rich protein content, containing 15-25% of total fish protein. This paper reviews the production of protein hydrolysates from fish muscle, most commonly via enzymatic hydrolysis, and their subsequent bioactivities including anti-obesity, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activities as measured by in vitro testing methods. Disease prevention with FPH potentially offers a safe and natural alternative to synthetic drugs. Small molecular weight (MW) FPHs generally exhibit favourable bioactivity than large MW fractions via enhanced absorption through the gastrointestinal tract. This review also discusses the relationship between amino acid (AA) composition and AA sequence of FPH and peptides and their exhibited in vitro bioactivity.

Personalized nutrition in ageing society: redox control of major-age related diseases through the NutRedOx Network (COST Action CA16112).

A healthy ageing process is important when it is considered that one-third of the population of Europe is already over 50 years old, although there are regional variations. This proportion is likely to increase in the future, and maintenance of vitality at an older age is not only an important measure of the quality of life but also key to participation and productivity. So, the binomial "nutrition and ageing" has different aspects and poses considerable challenges, providing a fertile ground for research and networks. The NutRedOx network will focus on the impact of redox-active compounds in food on healthy ageing, chemoprevention, and redox control in the context of major age-related diseases. The main aim of the NutRedOx network is to gather experts from Europe, and neighbouring countries, and from different disciplines that are involved in the study of biological redox active food components and are relevant to the ageing organism, its health, function, and vulnerability to disease. Together, these experts will form a major and sustainable EU-wide cluster in form of the NutRedOx Centre of Excellence able to address the topic from different perspectives, with the long-term aim to provide a scientific basis for improved nutritional and lifestyle habits, to train the next generation of multidisciplinary researchers in this field, to raise awareness of such habits among the wider population, and also to engage with industry to develop age-adequate foods and medicines.