Functional and Bioactive Properties of Wheat Protein Fractions: Impact of Digestive Enzymes on Antioxidant, α-Amylase, and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition Potential
Sana Gammoh,
Muhammad H. Alu’datt,
Mohammad N. Alhamad,
Carole C. Tranchant,
Taha Rababah,
Doa’a Al-U’datt,
Neveen Hussein,
Mohammad Alrosan,
Thuan-Chew Tan,
Stan Kubow,
Haya Alzoubi,
Ali Almajwal
Affiliations
Sana Gammoh
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Muhammad H. Alu’datt
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Mohammad N. Alhamad
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Carole C. Tranchant
School of Food Science, Nutrition and Family Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences and Community Services, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, Canada
Taha Rababah
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Doa’a Al-U’datt
Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Neveen Hussein
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Mohammad Alrosan
Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11937, Jordan
Thuan-Chew Tan
Food Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
Stan Kubow
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Haya Alzoubi
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Ali Almajwal
Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
This research aimed to determine the biofunctional properties of wheat flour (WF) protein fractions and modifications to the antioxidant, anti-α-amylase and anti-angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) activities induced by the action of digestive endopeptidases in vitro. A molecular characterization of the most abundant protein fractions, i.e., albumins, glutelins-1, glutelins-2 and prolamins, showed that low- and high-MW polypeptides rich in cysteine, glutamic acid and leucine were present in albumins and glutelins, whereas low-MW subunits with a high proportion of polar amino acids prevailed in prolamins. Prolamins exhibited the second-highest water holding capacity (54%) after WF (84%), while albumins provided superior foam stability (76%). Prolamins, glutenins-1 and globulins demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity (up to 95%, 68% and 59%, respectively) both before and after hydrolysis with pepsin (P-H) or trypsin–chymotrypsin (TC-H). Prolamins, globulins and WF strongly inhibited α-amylase (>90%) before and after TC-H, and before P-H (55–71%). Moreover, P-H significantly increased α-amylase inhibition by albumins from 53 to 74%. The fractions with strong ACE inhibitory activity (70–89%) included prolamins and globulins after TC-H or P-H, as well as globulins before TC-H and WF before P-H. This novel evidence indicates that WF protein fractions and their peptide-enriched P and TC hydrolysates are excellent sources of multifunctional bioactives with antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and antihypertensive potential.
