Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities from a Sustainable Source of Okara Protein Hydrolysate Using Enzymatic Reaction

Okara is a solid byproduct created during the processing of soy milk. The production of protein hydrolysates utilizing enzymatic tests such as papain can result in the production of bioactive peptides (BPs), which are amino acid sequences that can also be produced from the okara protein by hydrolysis. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activities of okara hydrolysates using papain, based on the in silico and in vitro assays using the papain enzyme. We found that using the in silico assessment, the antioxidant peptides can be found from the precursor (glycinin and conglycinin) in okara. When used as a protease, papain provides the maximum degree of hydrolysis for antioxidative peptides. The highest-peptide-rank peptide sequence was predicted using peptide ranks such as proline-histidine-phenylalanine (PHF), alanine-aspartic acid-phenylalanine (ADF), tyrosine-tyrosine-leucine (YYL), proline-histidine-histidine (PHH), isoleucine-arginine (IR), and serine-valine-leucine (SVL). Molecular docking studies revealed that all peptides generated from the parent protein impeded substrate access to the active site of xanthine oxidase (XO). They have antioxidative properties and are employed in the in silico approach to the XO enzyme. We also use papain to evaluate the antioxidant activity by using in vitro tests for protein hydrolysate following proteolysis. The antioxidant properties of okara protein hydrolysates have been shown in vitro, utilizing DPPH and FRAP experiments. This study suggests that okara hydrolysates generated by papain can be employed as natural antioxidants in food and for further applications, such as active ingredients for antioxidants in packaging.

In Silico Approach of Glycinin and Conglycinin Chains of Soybean By-Product (Okara) Using Papain and Bromelain

This study explores utilization of a sustainable soybean by-product (okara) based on in silico approach. In silico approaches, as well as the BIOPEP database, PeptideRanker database, Peptide Calculator database (Pepcalc), ToxinPred database, and AllerTop database, were employed to evaluate the potential of glycinin and conglycinin derived peptides as a potential source of bioactive peptides. These major protein precursors have been found as protein in okara as a soybean by-product. Furthermore, primary structure, biological potential, and physicochemical, sensory, and allergenic characteristics of the theoretically released antioxidant peptides were predicted in this research. Glycinin and α subunits of β-conglycinin were selected as potential precursors of bioactive peptides based on in silico analysis. The most notable among these are antioxidant peptides. First, the potential of protein precursors for releasing bioactive peptides was evaluated by determining the frequency of occurrence of fragments with a given activity. Through the BIOPEP database analysis, there are several antioxidant bioactive peptides in glycinin and β and α subunits of β-conglycinin sequences. Then, an in silico proteolysis using selected enzymes (papain, bromelain) to obtain antioxidant peptides was investigated and then analyzed using PeptideRanker and Pepcalc. Allergenic analysis using the AllerTop revealed that all in silico proteolysis-derived antioxidant peptides are probably nonallergenic peptides. We also performed molecular docking against MPO (myeloperoxidases) for this peptide. Overall, the present study highlights that glycinin and β and α subunits of β-conglycinin could be promising precursors of bioactive peptides that have an antioxidant peptide for developing several applications.

Mechanical strength, structural and hydration properties of ethanol-treated starch tablets and their impact on the release of active ingredients

Ethanol-treated starch (ETS) shows potentiality to be used for binder of pharmaceutical tablets. This study was aimed to evaluate the mechanical strength, structural and hydration properties of ETS tablets and ETS tablets containing lauric acid and ascorbic acid and their release behavior. ETS was prepared from cassava starch at the temperatures of 80, 90, and 100 °C. The active compounds were entrapped within the ETS tablets by two methods, including dry mixing and ethanol solubilisation. The results indicated that ETS tablets from temperatures of 80 °C showed granular shapes, had high friability and low crushing strength indexes, and dispersed and released active ingredients rapidly upon contact with water. Meanwhile, ETS tablets from temperatures of 90 and 100 °C exhibited non-granular particles, had low friability and high crushing strength indexes. Upon hydration, the tablets of non-granular ETS containing lauric acid eroded gradually and released active ingredients during tablet's erosion, meanwhile ascorbic acid diffused out gradually from the swelled tablets.