Camelina and sophia meals, often seen as by-products from these oilseed crops, are
promising resources in the battle against food waste due to their high nutrient content.
These by-products, rich in proteins, fibers, essential amino acids, and antioxidants, could
be repurposed as functional food ingredients or nutraceuticals, thus enhancing food's
nutritional value. These meals align with sustainability goals, as they can decrease waste
and promote a circular economy. The rising consumer interest in plant-based diets and
alternative protein sources further highlights their potential as valuable food products.
Further research could position these oilseed by-products as crucial players in reducing
food waste and creating nutritious, functional, and sustainable food products.
This research involved the acquisition of camelina protein isolates (CPI) and sophia
protein isolates (SPI) through the application of traditional and ultrasonic-assisted
extraction methods. We conducted a detailed examination of the protein isolates using
sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and explored
their functional characteristics. It was notable that the application of ultrasonic extraction
resulted in a substantial improvement in the functional properties of both camelina and
sophia protein isolates, which included increased protein solubility, water holding capacity,
oil absorption capacity, as well as emulsifying and foaming properties.
Furthermore, this study focused on using sophia and camelina seed meals to produce
protein hydrolysates through enzymatic processes (Alcalase and Flavourzyme). The
antioxidant activities of these protein hydrolysates were examined using in vitro methods
such as free radical scavenging activity, namely the 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline�6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl
radical scavenging ability, and oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) as well as
reducing power and bioactivities such as inhibitory activities against the oxidation of LDL
cholesterol and DNA strand breakage. In addition, bioinformatics methods were employed
to predict bioactive peptides. The research mainly investigated to release of potent
antioxidative, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides and dipeptidyl
peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitors using in silico approaches. The protein hydrolysates
derived from sophia and camelina exhibited superior radical scavenging activity compared
to protein isolates, particularly against DPPH and ABTS radicals. Especially in the case of
camelina peptide fractions, smaller-size peptides showed significantly higher radical
scavenging activity and potency than larger-size peptides. The hydrolysates produced with
the Alcalase enzyme demonstrated the highest capacity for scavenging hydroxyl radicals
and exhibited excellent oxygen radical absorbance capacity. Additionally, the hydrolysates
showed inhibitory effects on LDL cholesterol oxidation and protected against DNA damage
caused by hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals. The study successfully employed bioinformatics
methods to predict bioactive peptides, revealing that the selected peptides exhibited both
ACE and DPP IV inhibitory activities. Importantly, all resistant peptides to digestion were
found to be non-toxic. Furthermore, the in silico prediction based on physicochemical
properties and Lipinski's rule of five suggested that most peptides possess favorable drug�like properties.
These findings indicate that the protein isolates and hydrolysates derived from
camelina and sophia seed meal have desirable functional properties and exhibit antioxidant
activities. As a result, they are considered valuable sources of bioactive peptides for
developing available food ingredients and nutraceutical products. Therefore,
camelina/sophia protein hydrolysates show promise as functional food ingredients and
nutraceuticals
