Fungal Proteases and Production of Bioactive Peptides for the Food Industry

Proteases are physiologically and commercially important enzymes which are universally distributed among different sources, including plants, animals and microorganisms; and whose properties make them promising tools in a huge variety of areas. Recently, they have found use in novel biotechnological processes such as the production of protein hydrolysates, generating bioactive products with recognized positive attributes and biological effects. Using these active peptides decreases the use of chemical products, and allows the revaluation of protein byproducts generated by some industries. Microbial proteases are advantageous because microorganisms have a wide repertoire of biochemical tools, can be produced in less time and smaller spaces, with minimum nutritional requirements, and are susceptible to genetic modification. This chapter includes an analysis and discussion of the most relevant catalytic features, novel fungal sources, reaction conditions, and production processes for bioactive protein hydrolysates with relevance in the food industry.