Formation of Plant Derived Bioactive Peptides During Simulated Gastro-Intestinal Digestion: A Systematic Review

A plant-based diet is known to be nutrient-dense and rich in fibers, healthy fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A diet rich in plant-based foods may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. As consumers become more health conscious, there is a growing interest in plant-based diets. In addition to providing essential nutrients, some food proteins may provide additional health benefits, as plant proteins are broken down into bioactive peptides during gastrointestinal digestion, often in dependence on previous processing. Bioactive peptides have several important functions in the body, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and anti-hypertensive effects. To date, several reviews have provided an overview of the generation of bioactive peptides and their associated biological activities and putative health benefits in a range of animal-based foods, but information on plant-based foods is fragmented. We then systematically reviewed the existing literature reporting the release of bioactive peptides from plant-based food products and ingredients after in vitro digestion according to the INFOGEST protocol. The results reported in this review highlight that most of the bioactive peptides of plant origin exhibited antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic activity. The relationship between the structure and functionality of peptides and the major gaps in bioactive peptide research were also discussed, to focus on these aspects in future research. This may lead to a better understanding of the behavior of plant proteins in the human gastrointestinal tract, enhancing their contribution as sources of bioactive peptides.