Background and Objectives: Enzymatic hydrolysis is one way to improve functional properties, eliminate anti-nutritional compounds, and produce bioactive peptides with antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant and antiemetic properties, reducing blood cholesterol, mineral absorption improvement and immunotherapy effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of enzymatic hydrolysis process on the functional and antioxidant properties of hydrolyzed casein prepared using pancreatin.
Materials and Methods: In this study, the casein hydrolysis process by pancreatin was performed at different times (30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes). The degree of hydrolysis, functional properties (solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties at different levels of pH), antioxidant properties such as DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging, reducing power, antioxidant activity in the emulsion, and Fe and Cu chelating activities were evaluated.
Results: The enzymatic hydrolysis of casein significantly improved the functional properties of hydrolysate at different pH levels. The antioxidant properties of casein were influenced by the time of hydrolysis. The best value for each of the antioxidant indices after enzyme hydrolysis was 46.04% for DPPH free radical scavenging, 84.44% for ABTS radical scavenging, 2.28 mM for Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, 72.91% for hydroxyl radical scavenging, 61.97% for reducing power, 0.251 Milligrams MDA/L for Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, 70.31% for iron ion chelating, and 16.81% for chelating of copper ion.
Conclusion: The processing time with effect on the degree of hydrolysis affects all properties of the final product. In general, the enzymatic hydrolysis of casein at 180 minutes showed the best functional and antioxidant properties.